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Kitab-i-Iqan (Book of Certitude)
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PART ONE
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IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD, THE EXALTED, THE MOST HIGH.
No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be
detached from all that is in heaven and on earth. Sanctify your souls, O ye
peoples of the world, that haply ye may attain that station which God hath
destined for you and enter thus the tabernacle which, according to the
dispensations of Providence, hath been raised in the firmament of the Bayan.
THE essence of these words is this: they that tread the path of faith, they
that thirst for the wine of certitude, must cleanse themselves of all that is
earthly—their ears from idle talk, their minds from vain imaginings, their
hearts from worldly affections, their eyes from that which perisheth.
They should put their trust in God, and, holding fast unto Him, follow in His
way. Then will they be made worthy of the effulgent glories of the sun of
divine knowledge and understanding, and become the recipients of a grace that
is infinite and unseen, inasmuch as man can never hope to attain unto the
knowledge of the All-Glorious, can never quaff from the stream of divine
knowledge and wisdom, can never enter the abode of immortality, nor partake of
the cup of divine nearness and favour, unless and until he ceases to regard
the words and deeds of mortal men as a standard for the true understanding and
recognition of God and His Prophets.
Consider the past. How many, both high and low, have, at all times, yearningly
awaited the advent of the Manifestations of God in the sanctified persons of
His chosen Ones. How often have they expected His coming, how frequently have
they prayed that the breeze of divine mercy might blow, and the promised
Beauty step forth from behind the veil of concealment, and be made manifest to
all the world. And whensoever the portals of grace did open, and the clouds of
divine bounty did rain upon mankind, and the light of the Unseen did shine
above the horizon of celestial might, they all denied Him, and turned away
from His face—the face of God Himself. Refer ye, to verify this truth, to that
which hath been recorded in every sacred Book.
Ponder for a moment, and reflect upon that which hath been the cause of such
denial on the part of those who have searched with such earnestness and
longing. Their attack hath been more fierce than tongue or pen can describe.
Not one single Manifestation of Holiness hath appeared but He was afflicted by
the denials, the repudiation, and the vehement opposition of the people around
Him. Thus it hath been revealed: "O the misery of men! No Messenger cometh
unto them but they laugh Him to scorn."[Qur’an 36:30.] Again He saith: "Each
nation hath plotted darkly against their Messenger to lay violent hold on Him,
and disputed with vain words to invalidate the truth."[Qur’an 40:5.]
In like manner, those words that have streamed forth from the source of power
and descended from the heaven of glory are innumerable and beyond the ordinary
comprehension of man. To them that are possessed of true understanding and
insight the Surah of Hud surely sufficeth. Ponder a while those holy words in
your heart, and, with utter detachment, strive to grasp their meaning.
Examine the wondrous behaviour of the Prophets,
and recall the defamations and denials uttered by the children of negation and
falsehood, perchance you may cause the bird of the human heart to wing its
flight away from the abodes of heedlessness and doubt unto the nest of faith
and certainty, and drink deep from the pure waters of ancient wisdom, and
partake of the fruit of the tree of divine knowledge. Such is the share of the
pure in heart of the bread that hath descended from the realms of eternity and
holiness.
Should you acquaint yourself with the indignities heaped upon the Prophets of
God, and apprehend the true causes of the objections voiced by their
oppressors, you will surely appreciate the significance of their position.
Moreover, the more closely you observe the denials of those who have opposed
the Manifestations of the divine attributes, the firmer will be your faith in
the Cause of God.
Accordingly, a brief mention will be made in this Tablet of divers accounts
relative to the Prophets of God, that they may demonstrate the truth that
throughout all ages and centuries the Manifestations of power and glory have
been subjected to such heinous cruelties that no pen dare describe them.
Perchance this may enable a few to cease to be perturbed by the clamour and
protestations of the divines and the foolish of this age, and cause them to
strengthen their confidence and certainty.
Among the Prophets was Noah. For nine hundred and fifty years He prayerfully
exhorted His people and summoned them to the haven of security and peace.
None, however, heeded His call. Each day they inflicted on His blessed person
such pain and suffering that no one believed He could survive. How frequently
they denied Him, how malevolently they hinted their suspicion against Him!
Thus it hath been revealed: "And as often as a company of His people passed by
Him, they derided Him. To them He said: ‘Though ye scoff at us now, we will
scoff at you hereafter even as ye scoff at us. In the end ye shall
know.’"[Qur’an 11:38.] Long afterward, He several times promised victory to
His companions and fixed the hour thereof. But when the hour struck, the
divine promise was not fulfilled. This caused a few among the small number of
His followers to turn away from Him, and to this testify the records of the
best-known books.
These you must certainly have perused; if not, undoubtedly
you will. Finally, as stated in books and traditions, there remained with Him
only forty or seventy-two of His followers. At last from the depth of His
being He cried aloud: "Lord! Leave not upon the land a single dweller from
among the unbelievers."[Qur’an 71:26.]
And now, consider and reflect a moment upon the waywardness of this people.
What could have been the reason for such denial and avoidance on their part?
What could have induced them to refuse to put off the garment of denial, and
to adorn themselves with the robe of acceptance? Moreover, what could have
caused the nonfulfilment of the divine promise which led the seekers to reject
that which they had accepted? Meditate profoundly, that the secret of things
unseen may be revealed unto you, that you may inhale the sweetness of a
spiritual and imperishable fragrance, and that you may acknowledge the truth
that from time immemorial even unto eternity the Almighty hath tried, and will
continue to try, His servants, so that light may be distinguished from
darkness, truth from falsehood, right from wrong, guidance from error,
happiness from misery, and roses from thorns.
Even as He hath revealed: "Do men think when they say ‘We believe’ they shall
be let alone and not be put to proof?"[Qur’an 29:2.]
And after Noah the light of the countenance of Hud shone forth above the
horizon of creation. For well-nigh seven hundred years, according to the
sayings of men, He exhorted the people to turn their faces and draw nearer
unto the Ridvan of the divine presence. What showers of afflictions rained
upon Him, until at last His adjurations bore the fruit of increased
rebelliousness, and His assiduous endeavours resulted in the wilful blindness
of His people. "And their unbelief shall only increase for the unbelievers
their own perdition."[Qur’an 35:39.]
And after Him there appeared from the Ridvan of the Eternal, the Invisible,
the holy person of Salih, Who again summoned the people to the river of
everlasting life. For over a hundred years He admonished them to hold fast
unto the commandments of God and eschew that which is forbidden.
His admonitions, however, yielded no fruit, and His pleading proved of no
avail. Several times He retired and lived in seclusion. All this, although
that eternal Beauty was summoning the people to no other than the city of God.
Even as it is revealed: "And unto the tribe of Thamud We sent their brother
Salih. ‘O my people,’ said He, ‘Worship God, ye have none other God beside
Him....’ They made reply: ‘O Salih, our hopes were fixed on thee until now;
forbiddest thou us to worship that which our fathers worshipped? Truly we
misdoubt that whereunto thou callest us as suspicious.’"[Qur’an 11:61, 62.]
All this proved fruitless, until at last there went up a great cry, and all
fell into utter perdition.
Later, the beauty of the countenance of the Friend of God [Abraham.] appeared
from behind the veil, and another standard of divine guidance was hoisted. He
invited the people of the earth to the light of righteousness. The more
passionately He exhorted them, the fiercer waxed the envy and waywardness of
the people, except those who wholly detached themselves from all save God, and
ascended on the wings of certainty to the station which God hath exalted
beyond the comprehension of men. It is well known what a host of enemies
besieged Him, until at last the fires of envy and rebellion were kindled
against Him.
And after the episode of the fire came to pass, He, the lamp of God amongst
men, was, as recorded in all books and chronicles, expelled from His city.
And when His day was ended, there came the turn of Moses. Armed with the rod
of celestial dominion, adorned with the white hand of divine knowledge, and
proceeding from the Paran of the love of God, and wielding the serpent of
power and everlasting majesty, He shone forth from the Sinai of light upon the
world. He summoned all the peoples and kindreds of the earth to the kingdom of
eternity, and invited them to partake of the fruit of the tree of
faithfulness. Surely you are aware of the fierce opposition of Pharaoh and his
people, and of the stones of idle fancy which the hands of infidels cast upon
that blessed Tree. So much so that Pharaoh and his people finally arose and
exerted their utmost endeavor to extinguish with the waters of falsehood and
denial the fire of that sacred Tree, oblivious of the truth that no earthly
water can quench the flame of divine wisdom, nor mortal blasts extinguish the
lamp of everlasting dominion. Nay, rather, such water cannot but intensify the
burning of the flame, and such blasts cannot but ensure the preservation of
the lamp, were ye to observe with the eye of discernment, and walk in the way
of God’s holy will and pleasure. How well hath a believer of the kindred of
Pharaoh, whose story is recounted by the All-Glorious in His Book revealed
unto His beloved One, observed: "And a man of the family of Pharaoh who was a
believer and concealed his faith said: ‘Will ye slay a man because he saith my
Lord is God, when He hath already come to you with signs from your Lord? If he
be a liar, on him will be his lie, but if he be a man of truth, part of what
he threateneth will fall upon you. In truth God guideth not him who is a
transgressor, a liar.’"[Qur’an 40:28.] Finally, so great was their iniquity
that this self-same believer was put to a shameful death. "The curse of God be
upon the people of tyranny." [Qur’an 11:21.]
And now, ponder upon these things. What could have caused such contention and
conflict? Why is it that the advent of every true Manifestation of God hath
been accompanied by such strife and tumult, by such tyranny and upheaval? This
notwithstanding the fact that all the Prophets of God, whenever made manifest
unto the peoples of the world, have invariably foretold the coming of yet
another Prophet after them, and have established such signs as would herald
the advent of the future Dispensation. To this the records of all sacred books
bear witness. Why then is it that despite the expectation of men in their
quest of the Manifestations of Holiness, and in spite of the signs recorded in
the sacred books, such acts of violence, of oppression and cruelty, should
have been perpetrated in every age and cycle against all the Prophets and
chosen Ones of God? Even as He hath revealed:
"As oft as an Apostle cometh unto you with that which your souls desire not,
ye swell with pride, accusing some of being impostors and slaying others."
[Qur’an 2:87.]
Reflect, what could have been the motive for such deeds? What could have
prompted such behaviour towards the Revealers of the beauty of the All-
Glorious? Whatever in days gone by hath been the cause of the denial and
opposition of those people hath now led to the perversity of the people of
this age. To maintain that the testimony of Providence was incomplete, that it
hath therefore been the cause of the denial of the people, is but open
blasphemy. How far from the grace of the All-Bountiful and from His loving
providence and tender mercies it is to single out a soul from amongst all men
for the guidance of His creatures, and, on one hand, to withhold from Him the
full measure of His divine testimony, and, on the other, inflict severe
retribution on His people for having turned away from His chosen One! Nay, the
manifold bounties of the Lord of all beings have, at all times, through the
Manifestations of His divine Essence, encompassed the earth and all that dwell
therein. Not for a moment hath His grace been withheld, nor have the showers
of His loving-kindness ceased to rain upon mankind. Consequently, such
behaviour can be attributed to naught save the petty-mindedness of such souls
as tread the valley of arrogance and pride, are lost in the wilds of
remoteness, walk in the ways of their idle fancy, and follow the dictates of
the leaders of their faith. Their chief concern is mere opposition; their sole
desire is to ignore the truth. Unto every discerning observer it is evident
and manifest that had these people in the days of each of the Manifestations
of the Sun of Truth sanctified their eyes, their ears, and their hearts from
whatever they had seen, heard, and felt, they surely would not have been
deprived of beholding the beauty of God, nor strayed far from the habitations
of glory. But having weighed the testimony of God by the standard of their own
knowledge, gleaned from the teachings of the leaders of their faith, and found
it at variance with their limited understanding, they arose to perpetrate such
unseemly acts.
Leaders of religion, in every age, have hindered their people from attaining
the shores of eternal salvation, inasmuch as they held the reins of authority
in their mighty grasp. Some for the lust of leadership, others through want of
knowledge and understanding, have been the cause of the deprivation of the
people. By their sanction and authority, every Prophet of God hath drunk from
the chalice of sacrifice, and winged His flight unto the heights of glory.
What unspeakable cruelties they that have occupied the seats of authority and
learning have inflicted upon the true Monarchs of the world, those Gems of
divine virtue! Content with a transitory dominion, they have deprived
themselves of an everlasting sovereignty. Thus, their eyes beheld not the
light of the countenance of the Well-Beloved, nor did their ears hearken unto
the sweet melodies of the Bird of Desire. For this reason, in all sacred books
mention hath been made of the divines of every age. Thus He saith: "O people
of the Book! Why disbelieve the signs of God to which ye yourselves have been
witnesses?" [Qur’an 3:70.] And also He saith: "O people of the Book! Why
clothe ye the truth with falsehood? Why wittingly hide the truth?" [Qur’an
3:71.] Again, He saith: "Say, O people of the Book! Why repel believers from
the way of God?"[Qur’an 3:99.] It is evident that by the "people of the Book,"
who have repelled their fellow-men from the straight path of God, is meant
none other than the divines of that age, whose names and character have been
revealed in the sacred books, and alluded to in the verses and traditions
recorded therein, were you to observe with the eye of God.
With fixed and steady gaze, born of the unerring eye of God, scan for a while
the horizon of divine knowledge, and contemplate those words of perfection
which the Eternal hath revealed, that haply the mysteries of divine wisdom,
hidden ere now beneath the veil of glory and treasured within the tabernacle
of His grace, may be made manifest unto you. The denials and protestations of
these leaders of religion have, in the main, been due to their lack of
knowledge and understanding. Those words uttered by the Revealers of the
beauty of the one true God, setting forth the signs that should herald the
advent of the Manifestation to come, they never understood nor fathomed. Hence
they raised the standard of revolt, and stirred up mischief and sedition. It
is obvious and manifest that the true meaning of the utterances of the Birds
of Eternity is revealed to none except those that manifest the Eternal Being,
and the melodies of the Nightingale of Holiness can reach no ear save that of
the denizens of the everlasting realm. The Copt of tyranny can never partake
of the cup touched by the lips of the Sept of justice, and the Pharaoh of
unbelief can never hope to recognize the hand of the Moses of truth. Even as
He saith: "None knoweth the meaning thereof except God and them that are well-
grounded in knowledge."[Qur’an 3:7.] And yet, they have sought the
interpretation of the Book from those that are wrapt in veils, and have
refused to seek enlightenment from the fountain-head of knowledge.
And when the days of Moses were ended, and the light of Jesus, shining forth
from the dayspring of the Spirit, encompassed the world, all the people of
Israel arose in protest against Him. They clamoured that He Whose advent the
Bible had foretold must needs promulgate and fulfil the laws of Moses, whereas
this youthful Nazarene, who laid claim to the station of the divine Messiah,
had annulled the law of divorce and of the sabbath day—the most weighty of all
the laws of Moses. Moreover, what of the signs of the Manifestation yet to
come? These people of Israel are even unto the present day still expecting
that Manifestation which the Bible hath foretold! How many Manifestations of
Holiness, how many Revealers of the light everlasting, have appeared since the
time of Moses, and yet Israel, wrapt in the densest veils of satanic fancy and
false imaginings, is still expectant that the idol of her own handiwork will
appear with such signs as she herself hath conceived!
Thus hath God laid hold of them for their sins, hath extinguished in them the
spirit of faith, and tormented them with the flames of the nethermost fire.
And this for no other reason except that Israel refused to apprehend the
meaning of such words as have been revealed in the Bible concerning the signs
of the coming Revelation. As she never grasped their true significance, and,
to outward seeming, such events never came to pass, she, therefore, remained
deprived of recognizing the beauty of Jesus and of beholding the face of God.
And they still await His coming! From time immemorial even unto this day, all
the kindreds and peoples of the earth have clung to such fanciful and unseemly
thoughts, and thus have deprived themselves of the clear waters streaming from
the springs of purity and holiness.
In unfolding these mysteries, We have, in Our former Tablets which were
addressed to a friend in the melodious language of Hijaz, cited a few of the
verses revealed unto the Prophets of old.
And now, responding to your request, We again shall cite, in these pages,
those same verses, uttered this time in the wondrous accents of Iraq, that
haply the sore athirst in the wilds of remoteness may attain unto the ocean of
the divine presence, and they that languish in the wastes of separation be led
unto the home of eternal reunion. Thus the mists of error may be dispelled,
and the all-resplendent light of divine guidance dawn forth above the horizon
of human hearts. In God We put Our trust, and to Him We cry for help, that
haply there may flow from this pen that which shall quicken the souls of men,
that they may all arise from their beds of heedlessness and hearken unto the
rustling of the leaves of Paradise, from the tree which the hand of divine
power hath, by the permission of God, planted in the Ridvan of the All-
Glorious.
To them that are endowed with understanding, it is clear and manifest that
when the fire of the love of Jesus consumed the veils of Jewish limitations,
and His authority was made apparent and partially enforced, He the Revealer of
the unseen Beauty, addressing one day His disciples, referred unto His
passing, and, kindling in their hearts the fire of bereavement, said unto
them: "I go away and come again unto you." And in another place He said: "I go
and another will come Who will tell you all that I have not told you, and will
fulfil all that I have said." Both these sayings have but one meaning, were
you to ponder upon the Manifestations of the Unity of God with divine insight.
Every discerning observer will recognize that in the Dispensation of the
Qur’an both the Book and the Cause of Jesus were confirmed. As to the matter
of names, Muhammad, Himself, declared: "I am Jesus." He recognized the truth
of the signs, prophecies, and words of Jesus, and testified that they were all
of God. In this sense, neither the person of Jesus nor His writings hath
differed from that of Muhammad and of His holy Book, inasmuch as both have
championed the Cause of God, uttered His praise, and revealed His
commandments.
Thus it is that Jesus, Himself, declared: "I go away and come again unto you."
Consider the sun. Were it to say now, "I am the sun of yesterday," it would
speak the truth. And should it, bearing the sequence of time in mind, claim to
be other than that sun, it still would speak the truth. In like manner, if it
be said that all the days are but one and the same, it is correct and true.
And if it be said, with respect to their particular names and designations,
that they differ, that again is true. For though they are the same, yet one
doth recognize in each a separate designation, a specific attribute, a
particular character.
Conceive accordingly the distinction, variation, and unity characteristic of
the various Manifestations of holiness, that thou mayest comprehend the
allusions made by the creator of all names and attributes to the mysteries of
distinction and unity, and discover the answer to thy question as to why that
everlasting Beauty should have, at sundry times, called Himself by different
names and titles.
Afterwards, the companions and disciples of Jesus asked Him concerning those
signs that must needs signalize the return of His manifestation. When, they
asked, shall these things be? Several times they questioned that peerless
Beauty, and, every time He made reply, He set forth a special sign that should
herald the advent of the promised Dispensation. To this testify the records of
the four Gospels.
This wronged One will cite but one of these instances, thus conferring upon
mankind, for the sake of God, such bounties as are yet concealed within the
treasury of the hidden and sacred Tree, that haply mortal men may not remain
deprived of their share of the immortal fruit, and attain to a dewdrop of the
waters of everlasting life which, from Baghdad, the "Abode of Peace," are
being vouchsafed unto all mankind. We ask for neither meed nor reward. "We
nourish your souls for the sake of God; we seek from you neither recompense
nor thanks."[Qur’an 76:9.] This is the food that conferreth everlasting life
upon the pure in heart and the illumined in spirit. This is the bread of which
it is said: "Lord, send down upon us Thy bread from heaven."[Qur’an 5:117.]
This bread shall never be withheld from them that deserve it, nor can it ever
be exhausted.
It groweth everlastingly from the tree of grace; it descendeth at all seasons
from the heavens of justice and mercy. Even as He saith: "Seest thou not to
what God likeneth a good word? To a good tree; its root firmly fixed, and its
branches reaching unto heaven: yielding its fruit in all seasons." [Qur’an
14:24.]
O the pity! that man should deprive himself of this goodly gift, this
imperishable bounty, this everlasting life. It behooveth him to prize this
food that cometh from heaven, that perchance, through the wondrous favours of
the Sun of Truth, the dead may be brought to life, and withered souls be
quickened by the infinite Spirit. Make haste, O my brother, that while there
is yet time our lips may taste of the immortal draught, for the breeze of
life, now blowing from the city of the Well-Beloved, cannot last, and the
streaming river of holy utterance must needs be stilled, and the portals of
the Ridvan cannot for ever remain open. The day will surely come when the
Nightingale of Paradise will have winged its flight away from its earthly
abode unto its heavenly nest. Then will its melody be heard no more, and the
beauty of the rose cease to shine. Seize the time, therefore, ere the glory of
the divine springtime hath spent itself, and the Bird of Eternity ceased to
warble its melody, that thy inner hearing may not be deprived of hearkening
unto its call. This is My counsel unto thee and unto the beloved of God.
Whosoever wisheth, let him turn thereunto; whosoever wisheth, let him turn
away. God, verily, is independent of him and of that which he may see and
witness.
These are the melodies, sung by Jesus, Son of Mary, in accents of majestic
power in the Ridvan of the Gospel, revealing those signs that must needs
herald the advent of the Manifestation after Him.
In the first Gospel according to Matthew it is recorded: And when they asked
Jesus concerning the signs of His coming, He said unto them: "Immediately
after the oppression [Matthew 24:29-31.] of those days shall the sun be
darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from
heaven, and the powers of the earth shall be shaken: and then [Matthew
24:29-31.] (The Greek word used (Thlipsis) has two meanings: pressure [Matthew
24:29-31.] and oppression) shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:
and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son
of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall
send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet." [Matthew 24:29-31.] Rendered
into the Persian tongue, [The passage is quoted by Baha’u’llah in Arabic and
interpreted in Persian.] the purport of these words is as follows: When the
oppression and afflictions that are to befall mankind will have come to pass,
then shall the sun be withheld from shining, the moon from giving light, the
stars of heaven shall fall upon the earth, and the pillars of the earth shall
quake. At that time, the signs of the Son of man shall appear in heaven, that
is, the promised Beauty and Substance of life shall, when these signs have
appeared, step forth out of the realm of the invisible into the visible world.
And He saith: at that time, all the peoples and kindreds that dwell on earth
shall bewail and lament, and they shall see that divine Beauty coming from
heaven, riding upon the clouds with power, grandeur, and magnificence, sending
His angels with a great sound of a trumpet.
Similarly, in the three other Gospels, according to Luke, Mark, and John, the
same statements are recorded. As We have referred at length to these in Our
Tablets revealed in the Arabic tongue, We have made no mention of them in
these pages, and have confined Ourselves to but one reference.
Inasmuch as the Christian divines have failed to apprehend the meaning of
these words, and did not recognize their object and purpose, and have clung to
the literal interpretation of the words of Jesus, they therefore became
deprived of the streaming grace of the Muhammadan Revelation and its showering
bounties. The ignorant among the Christian community, following the example of
the leaders of their faith, were likewise prevented from beholding the beauty
of the King of glory, inasmuch as those signs which were to accompany the dawn
of the sun of the Muhammadan Dispensation did not actually come to pass. Thus,
ages have passed and centuries rolled away, and that most pure Spirit hath
repaired unto the retreats of its ancient sovereignty. Once more hath the
eternal Spirit breathed into the mystic trumpet, and caused the dead to speed
out of their sepulchres of heedlessness and error unto the realm of guidance
and grace. And yet, that expectant community still crieth out: When shall
these things be? When shall the promised One, the object of our expectation,
be made manifest, that we may arise for the triumph of His Cause, that we may
sacrifice our substance for His sake, that we may offer up our lives in His
path? In like manner, have such false imaginings caused other communities to
stray from the Kawthar of the infinite mercy of Providence, and to be busied
with their own idle thoughts.
Beside this passage, there is yet another verse in the Gospel wherein He
saith: "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away."
[Luke 21:33.] Thus it is that the adherents of Jesus maintained that the law
of the Gospel shall never be annulled, and that whensoever the promised Beauty
is made manifest and all the signs are revealed, He must needs re-affirm and
establish the law proclaimed in the Gospel, so that there may remain in the
world no faith but His faith. This is their fundamental belief. And their
conviction is such that were a person to be made manifest with all the
promised signs and to promulgate that which is contrary to the letter of the
law of the Gospel, they must assuredly renounce him, refuse to submit to his
law, declare him an infidel, and laugh him to scorn. This is proved by that
which came to pass when the sun of the Muhammadan Revelation was revealed. Had
they sought with a humble mind from the Manifestations of God in every
Dispensation the true meaning of these words revealed in the sacred
books—words the misapprehension of which hath caused men to be deprived of the
recognition of the Sadratu’l-Muntaha, the ultimate Purpose—they surely would
have been guided to the light of the Sun of Truth, and would have discovered
the mysteries of divine knowledge and wisdom.
This servant will now share with thee a dewdrop out of the fathomless ocean of
the truths treasured in these holy words, that haply discerning hearts may
comprehend all the allusions and the implications of the utterances of the
Manifestations of Holiness, so that the overpowering majesty of the Word of
God may not prevent them from attaining unto the ocean of His names and
attributes, nor deprive them of recognizing the Lamp of God which is the seat
of the revelation of His glorified Essence.
As to the words—"Immediately after the oppression of those days"—they refer to
the time when men shall become oppressed and afflicted, the time when the
lingering traces of the Sun of Truth and the fruit of the Tree of knowledge
and wisdom will have vanished from the midst of men, when the reins of mankind
will have fallen into the grasp of the foolish and ignorant, when the portals
of divine unity and understanding—the essential and highest purpose in
creation—will have been closed, when certain knowledge will have given way to
idle fancy, and corruption will have usurped the station of righteousness.
Such a condition as this is witnessed in this day when the reins of every
community have fallen into the grasp of foolish leaders, who lead after their
own whims and desire.
On their tongue the mention of God hath become an empty name; in their midst
His holy Word a dead letter. Such is the sway of their desires, that the lamp
of conscience and reason hath been quenched in their hearts, and this although
the fingers of divine power have unlocked the portals of the knowledge of God,
and the light of divine knowledge and heavenly grace hath illumined and
inspired the essence of all created things, in such wise that in each and
every thing a door of knowledge hath been opened, and within every atom traces
of the sun hath been made manifest. And yet, in spite of all these manifold
revelations of divine knowledge, which have encompassed the world, they still
vainly imagine the door of knowledge to be closed, and the showers of mercy to
be stilled. Clinging unto idle fancy, they have strayed far from the
Urvatu’l-Vuthqa of divine knowledge. Their hearts seem not to be inclined to
knowledge and the door thereof, neither think they of its manifestations,
inasmuch as in idle fancy they have found the door that leadeth unto earthly
riches, whereas in the manifestation of the Revealer of knowledge they find
naught but the call to self-sacrifice.
They therefore naturally hold fast unto the former, and flee from the latter.
Though they recognize in their hearts the Law of God to be one and the same,
yet from every direction they issue a new command, and in every season
proclaim a fresh decree. No two are found to agree on one and the same law,
for they seek no God but their own desire, and tread no path but the path of
error. In leadership they have recognized the ultimate object of their
endeavour, and account pride and haughtiness as the highest attainments of
their heart’s desire. They have placed their sordid machinations above the
divine decree, have renounced resignation unto the will of God, busied
themselves with selfish calculation, and walked in the way of the hypocrite.
With all their power and strength they strive to secure themselves in their
petty pursuits, fearful lest the least discredit undermine their authority or
blemish the display of their magnificence. Were the eye to be anointed and
illumined with the collyrium of the knowledge of God, it would surely discover
that a number of voracious beasts have gathered and preyed upon the carrion of
the souls of men.
What "oppression" is greater than that which hath been recounted? What
"oppression" is more grievous than that a soul seeking the truth, and wishing
to attain unto the knowledge of God, should know not where to go for it and
from whom to seek it? For opinions have sorely differed, and the ways unto the
attainment of God have multiplied.
This "oppression" is the essential feature of every Revelation. Unless it
cometh to pass, the Sun of Truth will not be made manifest. For the break of
the morn of divine guidance must needs follow the darkness of the night of
error. For this reason, in all chronicles and traditions reference hath been
made unto these things, namely that iniquity shall cover the surface of the
earth and darkness shall envelop mankind. As the traditions referred to are
well known, and as the purpose of this servant is to be brief, He will refrain
from quoting the text of these traditions.
Were this "oppression" (which literally meaneth pressure) to be interpreted
that the earth is to become contracted, or were men’s idle fancy to conceive
similar calamities to befall mankind, it is clear and manifest that no such
happenings can ever come to pass. They will assuredly protest that this pre-
requisite of divine revelation hath not been made manifest. Such hath been and
still is their contention. Whereas, by "oppression" is meant the want of
capacity to acquire spiritual knowledge and apprehend the Word of God. By it
is meant that when the Day-star of Truth hath set, and the mirrors that
reflect His light have departed, mankind will become afflicted with
"oppression" and hardship, knowing not whither to turn for guidance. Thus We
instruct thee in the interpretation of the traditions, and reveal unto thee
the mysteries of divine wisdom, that haply thou mayest comprehend the meaning
thereof, and be of them that have quaffed the cup of divine knowledge and
understanding.
And now, concerning His words—"The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall
not give light, and the stars shall fall from heaven." By the terms "sun" and
"moon," mentioned in the writings of the Prophets of God, is not meant solely
the sun and moon of the visible universe. Nay rather, manifold are the
meanings they have intended for these terms. In every instance they have
attached to them a particular significance. Thus, by the "sun" in one sense is
meant those Suns of Truth Who rise from the dayspring of ancient glory, and
fill the world with a liberal effusion of grace from on high. These Suns of
Truth are the universal Manifestations of God in the worlds of His attributes
and names, even as the visible sun that assisteth, as decreed by God, the true
One, the Adored, in the development of all earthly things, such as the trees,
the fruits, and colours thereof, the minerals of the earth, and all that may
be witnessed in the world of creation, so do the divine Luminaries, by their
loving care and educative influence, cause the trees of divine unity, the
fruits of His oneness, the leaves of detachment, the blossoms of knowledge and
certitude, and the myrtles of wisdom and utterance, to exist and be made
manifest. Thus it is that through the rise of these Luminaries of God the
world is made new, the waters of everlasting life stream forth, the billows of
loving-kindness surge, the clouds of grace are gathered, and the breeze of
bounty bloweth upon all created things. It is the warmth that these Luminaries
of God generate, and the undying fires they kindle, which cause the light of
the love of God to burn fiercely in the heart of humanity. It is through the
abundant grace of these Symbols of Detachment that the Spirit of life
everlasting is breathed into the bodies of the dead. Assuredly the visible sun
is but a sign of the splendour of that Day-star of Truth, that Sun Which can
never have a peer, a likeness, or rival. Through Him all things live, move,
and have their being. Through His grace they are made manifest, and unto Him
they all return. From Him all things have sprung, and unto the treasuries of
His revelation they all have repaired. From Him all created things did
proceed, and to the depositories of His law they did revert.
That these divine Luminaries seem to be confined at times to specific
designations and attributes, as you have observed and are now observing, is
due solely to the imperfect and limited comprehension of certain minds.
Otherwise, they have been at all times, and will through eternity continue to
be, exalted above every praising name, and sanctified from every descriptive
attribute. The quintessence of every name can hope for no access unto their
court of holiness, and the highest and purest of all attributes can never
approach their kingdom of glory. Immeasurably high are the Prophets of God
exalted above the comprehension of men, who can never know them except by
their own Selves. Far be it from His glory that His chosen Ones should be
magnified by any other than their own persons. Glorified are they above the
praise of men; exalted are they above human understanding!
The term "suns" hath many a time been applied in the writings of the
"immaculate Souls" unto the Prophets of God, those luminous Emblems of
Detachment.
Among those writings are the following words recorded in the "Prayer of
Nudbih": [Qur’an 55:5.] "Whither are gone the resplendent Suns? Whereunto have
departed those shining Moons and [Qur’an 55:5.] "Lamentation" attributed to
the Twelfth Imam. sparkling Stars?" Thus, it hath become evident that the
terms "sun," "moon," and "stars" primarily signify the Prophets of God, the
saints, and their companions, those Luminaries, the light of Whose knowledge
hath shed illumination upon the worlds of the visible and the invisible.
In another sense, by these terms is intended the divines of the former
Dispensation, who live in the days of the subsequent Revelations, and who hold
the reins of religion in their grasp. If these divines be illumined by the
light of the latter Revelation they will be acceptable unto God, and will
shine with a light everlasting. Otherwise, they will be declared as darkened,
even though to outward seeming they be leaders of men, inasmuch as belief and
unbelief, guidance and error, felicity and misery, light and darkness, are all
dependent upon the sanction of Him Who is the Day-star of Truth. Whosoever
among the divines of every age receiveth, in the Day of Reckoning, the
testimony of faith from the Source of true knowledge, he verily becometh the
recipient of learning, of divine favour, and of the light of true
understanding. Otherwise, he is branded as guilty of folly, denial, blasphemy,
and oppression.
It is evident and manifest unto every discerning observer that even as the
light of the star fadeth before the effulgent splendour of the sun, so doth
the luminary of earthly knowledge, of wisdom, and understanding vanish into
nothingness when brought face to face with the resplendent glories of the Sun
of Truth, the Day-star of divine enlightenment.
That the term "sun" hath been applied to the leaders of religion is due to
their lofty position, their fame, and renown. Such are the universally
recognized divines of every age, who speak with authority, and whose fame is
securely established. If they be in the likeness of the Sun of Truth, they
will surely be accounted as the most exalted of all luminaries; otherwise,
they are to be recognized as the focal centres of hellish fire. Even as He
saith:
"Verily, the sun and the moon are both condemned
to the torment of infernal fire." [Qur’an 55:5.] You are no doubt familiar
with the interpretation of the term "sun" and "moon" mentioned in this verse;
no need therefore to refer unto it. And whosoever is of the element of this
"sun" and "moon", that is, followeth the example of these leaders in setting
his face towards falsehood and in turning away from the truth he undoubtedly
cometh out of infernal gloom and returneth thereunto.
And now, O seeker, it behooveth us firmly to cling unto the Urvatu’l-Vuthqa,
that perchance we may leave behind the darksome night of error, and embrace
the dawning light of divine guidance. Shall we not flee from the face of
denial, and seek the sheltering shadow of certitude? Shall we not free
ourselves from the horror of satanic gloom, and hasten towards the rising
light of the heavenly Beauty? In such wise, we bestow upon you the fruit of
the Tree of divine knowledge, that ye may gladly and joyously abide in the
Ridvan of divine wisdom.
In another sense, by the terms ‘sun’, ‘moon’, and ‘stars’ are meant such laws
and teachings as have been established and proclaimed in every Dispensation,
such as the laws of prayer and fasting.
These have, according to the law of the Qur’an, been regarded, when the beauty
of the Prophet Muhammad had passed beyond the veil, as the most fundamental
and binding laws of His dispensation.
To this testify the texts of the traditions and chronicles, which, on account
of their being widely known, need not be referred to here. Nay rather, in
every Dispensation the law concerning prayer hath been emphasized and
universally enforced. To this testify the recorded traditions ascribed to the
lights that have emanated from the Day-star of Truth, the essence of the
Prophet Muhammad.
The traditions established the fact that in all Dispensations the law of
prayer hath constituted a fundamental element of the Revelation of all the
Prophets of God—a law the form and the manner of which hath been adapted to
the varying requirements of every age. Inasmuch as every subsequent Revelation
hath abolished the manners, habits, and teachings that have been clearly,
specifically, and firmly established by the former Dispensation, these have
accordingly been symbolically expressed in terms of ‘sun’ and ‘moon’. "That He
might prove you, which of you excel in deeds." [Qur’an 67:2.]
Moreover, in the traditions the terms "sun" and "moon" have been applied to
prayer and fasting, even as it is said: "Fasting is illumination, prayer is
light." One day, a well-known divine came to visit Us. While We were
conversing with him, he referred to the above-quoted tradition. He said:
"Inasmuch as fasting causeth the heat of the body to increase, it hath
therefore been likened unto the light of the sun; and as the prayer of the
night-season refresheth man, it hath been compared unto the radiance of the
moon." Thereupon We realized that that poor man had not been favoured with a
single drop of the ocean of true understanding, and had strayed far from the
burning Bush of divine wisdom. We then politely observed to him saying:
"The interpretation your honour hath given to this tradition is the one
current amongst the people. Could it not be interpreted differently?" He asked
Us: "What could it be?" We made reply: "Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets,
and the most distinguished of God’s chosen Ones, hath likened the Dispensation
of the Qur’an unto heaven, by reason of its loftiness, its paramount
influence, its majesty, and the fact that it comprehendeth all religions.
And as the sun and moon constitute the brightest and most prominent luminaries
in the heavens, similarly in the heaven of the religion of God two shining
orbs have been ordained—fasting and prayer. ‘Islam is heaven; fasting is its
sun, prayer, its moon.’"
This is the purpose underlying the symbolic words of the Manifestations of
God. Consequently, the application of the terms "sun" and "moon" to the things
already mentioned hath been demonstrated and justified by the text of the
sacred verses and the recorded traditions. Hence, it is clear and manifest
that by the words "the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her
light, and the stars shall fall from heaven" is intended the waywardness of
the divines, and the annulment of laws firmly established by divine
Revelation, all of which, in symbolic language, have been foreshadowed by the
Manifestation of God. None except the righteous shall partake of this cup,
none but the godly can share therein. "The righteous shall drink of a cup
tempered at the camphor fountain." [Qur’an 76:5.]
It is unquestionable that in every succeeding Revelation the "sun" and "moon"
of the teachings, laws, commandments, and prohibitions which have been
established in the preceding Dispensation, and which have overshadowed the
people of that age, become darkened, that is, are exhausted, and cease to
exert their influence. Consider now, had the people of the Gospel recognized
the meaning of the symbolic terms "sun" and "moon," had they sought, unlike
the froward and perverse, enlightenment from Him Who is the Revealer of divine
knowledge, they would have surely comprehended the purpose of these terms, and
would not have become afflicted and oppressed by the darkness of their selfish
desires. Yea, but since they have failed to acquire true knowledge from its
very Source, they have perished in the perilous vale of waywardness and
misbelief. They still have not awakened to perceive that all the signs
foretold have been made manifest, that the promised Sun hath risen above the
horizon of divine Revelation, and that the "sun" and "moon" of the teachings,
the laws, and learning of a former Dispensation have darkened and set.
And now, with fixed gaze and steady wings enter thou the way of certitude and
truth. "Say: It is God; then leave them to entertain themselves with their
cavilings." [Qur’an 6:91.] Thus, wilt thou be accounted of those companions of
whom He saith:
"They that say ‘Our Lord is God,’ and continue
steadfast in His way, upon them, verily, shall the angels descend." [Qur’an
41:30.] Then shalt thou witness all these mysteries with thine own eyes.
O my brother! Take thou the step of the spirit, so that, swift as the
twinkling of an eye, thou mayest flash through the wilds of remoteness and
bereavement, attain the Ridvan of everlasting reunion, and in one breath
commune with the heavenly Spirits. For with human feet thou canst never hope
to traverse these immeasurable distances, nor attain thy goal. Peace be upon
him whom the light of truth guideth unto all truth, and who, in the name of
God, standeth in the path of His Cause, upon the shore of true understanding.
This is the meaning of the sacred verse: "But nay! I swear by the Lord of the
Easts and the Wests," [Qur’an 70:40.] inasmuch as the "Suns" referred to have
each their own particular rising and setting place.
And as the commentators of the Qur’an have failed to grasp the symbolic
meaning of these "Suns," they therefore were at pains to interpret the above-
quoted verse. Some of them maintained that owing to the fact that the sun each
day rises from a different point, the terms "easts" and "wests" have been
mentioned in the plural. Others have written that by this verse the four
seasons of the year are intended, inasmuch as the dawning and setting points
of the sun vary with the change of the seasons. Such is the depth of their
understanding! None the less, they persist in imputing error and folly to
those Gems of knowledge, those irreproachable and purest Symbols of wisdom.
In like manner, strive thou to comprehend from these lucid, these powerful,
conclusive, and unequivocal statements the meaning of the "cleaving of the
heaven"—one of the signs that must needs herald the coming of the last Hour,
the Day of Resurrection. As He hath said: "When the heaven shall be cloven
asunder." [Qur’an 82:1.] By "heaven" is meant the heaven of divine Revelation,
which is elevated with every Manifestation, and rent asunder with every
subsequent one. By "cloven asunder" is meant that the former Dispensation is
superseded and annulled. I swear by God! That this heaven being cloven asunder
is, to the discerning, an act mightier than the cleaving of the skies! Ponder
a while. That a divine Revelation which for years hath been securely
established; beneath whose shadow all who have embraced it have been reared
and nurtured; by the light of whose law generations of men have been
disciplined; the excellency of whose word men have heard recounted by their
fathers; in such wise that human eye hath beheld naught but the pervading
influence of its grace, and mortal ear hath heard naught but the resounding
majesty of its command—what act is mightier than that such a Revelation
should, by the power of God, be "cloven asunder" and be abolished at the
appearance of one soul? Reflect, is this a mightier act than that which these
abject and foolish men have imagined the "cleaving of the heaven" to mean?
Moreover, consider the hardships and the bitterness of the lives of those
Revealers of the divine Beauty. Reflect, how single-handed and alone they
faced the world and all its peoples, and promulgated the Law of God! No matter
how severe the persecutions inflicted upon those holy, those precious, and
tender Souls, they still remained, in the plenitude of their power, patient,
and, despite their ascendancy, they suffered and endured.
In like manner, endeavour to comprehend the meaning of the "changing of the
earth." Know thou, that upon whatever hearts the bountiful showers of mercy,
raining from the "heaven" of divine Revelation, have fallen, the earth of
those hearts hath verily been changed into the earth of divine knowledge and
wisdom. What myrtles of unity hath the soil of their hearts produced! What
blossoms of true knowledge and wisdom hath their illumined bosoms yielded!
Were the earth of their hearts to remain unchanged, how could such souls who
have not been taught one letter, have seen no teacher, and entered no school,
utter such words and display such knowledge as none can apprehend? Methinks
they have been moulded from the clay of infinite knowledge, and kneaded with
the water of divine wisdom. Therefore, hath it been said: "Knowledge is a
light which God casteth into the heart of whomsoever He willeth." It is this
kind of knowledge which is and hath ever been praiseworthy, and not the
limited knowledge that hath sprung forth from veiled and obscured minds. This
limited knowledge they even stealthily borrow one from the other, and vainly
pride themselves therein!
Would that the hearts of men could be cleansed from these man-made limitations
and obscure thoughts imposed upon them! haply they may be illumined by the
light of the Sun of true knowledge, and comprehend the mysteries of divine
wisdom.
Consider now, were the parched and barren soil of these hearts to remain
unchanged, how could they ever become the Recipients of the revelation of the
mysteries of God, and the Revealers of the divine Essence? Thus hath He said:
"On the day when the earth shall be changed into another earth." [Qur’an
14:48.]
The breeze of the bounty of the King of creation hath caused even the physical
earth to be changed, were ye to ponder in your hearts the mysteries of divine
Revelation.
And now, comprehend the meaning of this verse: "The whole earth shall on the
Resurrection Day be but His handful, and in His right hand shall the heavens
be folded together. Praise be to Him! and high be He uplifted above the
partners they join with him!" [Qur’an 39:67.] And now, be fair in thy
judgment. Were this verse to have the meaning which men suppose it to have, of
what profit, one may ask, could it be to man? Moreover, it is evident and
manifest that no such hand as could be seen by human eye could accomplish such
deeds, or could possibly be ascribed to the exalted Essence of the one true
God. Nay, to acknowledge such a thing is naught but sheer blasphemy, an utter
perversion of the truth. And should it be supposed that by this verse are
meant the Manifestations of God, Who will be called upon, on the Day of
Judgment, to perform such deeds, this too seemeth far from the truth, and is
surely of no profit. On the contrary, by the term "earth" is meant the earth
of understanding and knowledge, and by "heavens" the heavens of divine
Revelation. Reflect thou, how, in one hand, He hath, by His mighty grasp,
turned the earth of knowledge and understanding, previously unfolded, into a
mere handful, and, on the other, spread out a new and highly exalted earth in
the hearts of men, thus causing the freshest and loveliest blossoms, and the
mightiest and loftiest trees to spring forth from the illumined bosom of man.
In like manner, reflect how the elevated heavens of the Dispensations of the
past have, in the right hand of power, been folded together, how the heavens
of divine Revelation have been raised by the command of God, and been adorned
by the sun, the moon, and stars of His wondrous commandments.
Such are the mysteries of the Word of God, which have been unveiled and made
manifest, that haply thou mayest apprehend the morning light of divine
guidance, mayest quench, by the power of reliance and renunciation, the lamp
of idle fancy, of vain imaginings, of hesitation, and doubt, and mayest
kindle, in the inmost chamber of thine heart, the new-born light of divine
knowledge and certitude.
Know verily that the purpose underlying all these symbolic terms and abstruse
allusions, which emanate from the Revealers of God’s holy Cause, hath been to
test and prove the peoples of the world; that thereby the earth of the pure
and illuminated hearts may be known from the perishable and barren soil. From
time immemorial such hath been the way of God amidst His creatures, and to
this testify the records of the sacred books.
And likewise, reflect upon the revealed verse concerning the "Qiblih." [The
direction toward which the face must be turned when praying.] When Muhammad,
the Sun of Prophethood, had fled from the dayspring of Batha [Mecca] unto
Yathrib, [Medina] He continued to turn His face, while praying, unto
Jerusalem, the holy city, until the time when the Jews began to utter unseemly
words against Him—words which if mentioned would ill befit these pages and
would weary the reader. Muhammad strongly resented these words. Whilst, wrapt
in meditation and wonder, He was gazing toward heaven, He heard the kindly
Voice of Gabriel, saying: "We behold Thee from above, turning Thy face to
heaven; but We will have Thee turn to a Qiblih which shall please Thee."
[Qur’an 2:144.] On a subsequent day, when the Prophet, together with His
companions, was offering the noontide prayer, and had already performed two of
the prescribed Rik’ats, [Prostrations] the Voice of Gabriel was heard again:
"Turn Thou Thy face towards the sacred Mosque."[At Mecca.], [Qur’an 2:149.] In
the midst of that same prayer, Muhammad suddenly turned His face away from
Jerusalem and faced the Ka’bih.
Whereupon, a profound dismay seized suddenly the companions of the Prophet.
Their faith was shaken severely. So great was their alarm, that many of them,
discontinuing their prayer, apostatized their faith. Verily, God caused not
this turmoil but to test and prove His servants. Otherwise, He, the ideal
King, could easily have left the Qiblih unchanged, and could have caused
Jerusalem to remain the Point of Adoration unto His Dispensation, thereby
withholding not from that holy city the distinction of acceptance which had
been conferred upon it.
None of the many Prophets sent down, since Moses was made manifest, as
Messengers of the Word of God, such as David, Jesus, and others among the more
exalted Manifestations who have appeared during the intervening period between
the Revelations of Moses and Muhammad, ever altered the law of the Qiblih.
These Messengers of the Lord of creation have, one and all, directed their
peoples to turn unto the same direction. In the eyes of God, the ideal King,
all the places of the earth are one and the same, excepting that place which,
in the days of His Manifestations, He doth appoint for a particular purpose.
Even as He hath revealed: "The East and West are God’s: therefore whichever
way ye turn, there is the face of God." [Qur’an 2:115.] Notwithstanding the
truth of these facts, why should the Qiblih have been changed, thus casting
such dismay amongst the people, causing the companions of the Prophet to
waver, and throwing so great a confusion into their midst?
Yea, such things as throw consternation into the hearts of all men come to
pass only that each soul may be tested by the touchstone of God, that the true
may be known and distinguished from the false. Thus hath He revealed after the
breach amongst the people: "We did not appoint that which Thou wouldst have to
be the Qiblih, but that We might know him who followeth the Apostle from him
who turneth on his heels." [Qur’an 2:143.] "Affrighted asses fleeing from a
lion." [Qur’an 74:50.]
Were you to ponder, but for a while, these utterances in your heart, you would
surely find the portals of understanding unlocked before your face, and would
behold all knowledge and the mysteries thereof unveiled before your eyes. Such
things take place only that the souls of men may develop and be delivered from
the prison-cage of self and desire.
Otherwise, that ideal King hath, throughout eternity, been in His Essence
independent of the comprehension of all beings, and will continue, for ever,
in His own Being to be exalted above the adoration of every soul. A single
breeze of His affluence doth suffice to adorn all mankind with the robe of
wealth; and one drop out of the ocean of His bountiful grace is enough to
confer upon all beings the glory of everlasting life. But inasmuch as the
divine Purpose hath decreed that the true should be known from the false, and
the sun from the shadow, He hath, therefore, in every season sent down upon
mankind the showers of tests from His realm of glory.
Were men to meditate upon the lives of the Prophets of old, so easily would
they come to know and understand the ways of these Prophets that they would
cease to be veiled by such deeds and words as are contrary to their own
worldly desires, and thus consume every intervening veil with the fire burning
in the Bush of divine knowledge, and abide secure upon the throne of peace and
certitude.
For instance, consider Moses, son of Imran, one of the exalted Prophets and
Author of a divinely-revealed Book. Whilst passing, one day, through the
market, in His early days, ere His ministry was proclaimed, He saw two men
engaged in fighting. One of them asked the help of Moses against his opponent.
Whereupon, Moses intervened and slew him. To this testifieth the record of the
sacred Book. Should the details be cited, they will lengthen and interrupt the
course of the argument. The report of this incident spread throughout the
city, and Moses was full of fear, as is witnessed by the text of the Book. And
when the warning: "O Moses! of a truth, the chiefs take counsel to slay Thee"
[Qur’an 28:20.] reached His ears, He went forth from the city, and sojourned
in Midian in the service of Shoeb. While returning, Moses entered the holy
vale, situate in the wilderness of Sinai, and there beheld the vision of the
King of glory from the "Tree that belongeth neither to the East nor to the
West." [Qur’an 24:35.] There He heard the soul-stirring Voice of the Spirit
speaking from out of the kindled Fire, bidding Him to shed upon Pharaonic
souls the light of divine guidance; so that, liberating them from the shadows
of the valley of self and desire, He might enable them to attain the meads of
heavenly delight, and delivering them, through the Salsabil of renunciation,
from the bewilderment of remoteness, cause them to enter the peaceful city of
the divine presence. When Moses came unto Pharaoh and delivered unto him, as
bidden by God, the divine Message, Pharaoh spoke insultingly saying: "Art thou
not he that committed murder, and became an infidel?" Thus recounted the Lord
of majesty as having been said by Pharaoh unto Moses: "What a deed is that
which Thou hast done! Thou art one of the ungrateful.
He said: ‘I did it indeed, and I was one of those who erred. And I fled from
you when I feared you, but My Lord hath given Me wisdom, and hath made Me one
of His Apostles.’" [Qur’an 26:19.]
And now ponder in thy heart the commotion which God stirreth up. Reflect upon
the strange and manifold trials with which He doth test His servants. Consider
how He hath suddenly chosen from among His servants, and entrusted with the
exalted mission of divine guidance Him Who was known as guilty of homicide,
Who, Himself, had acknowledged His cruelty, and Who for well-nigh thirty years
had, in the eyes of the world, been reared in the home of Pharaoh and been
nourished at his table. Was not God, the omnipotent King, able to withhold the
hand of Moses from murder, so that manslaughter should not be attributed unto
Him, causing bewilderment and aversion among the people?
Likewise, reflect upon the state and condition of Mary. So deep was the
perplexity of that most beauteous countenance, so grievous her case, that she
bitterly regretted she had ever been born. To this beareth witness the text of
the sacred verse wherein it is mentioned that after Mary had given birth to
Jesus, she bemoaned her plight and cried out: "O would that I had died ere
this, and been a thing forgotten, forgotten quite!" [Qur’an 19:22.] I swear by
God! Such lamenting consumeth the heart and shaketh the being. Such
consternation of soul, such despondency, could have been caused by no other
than the censure of the enemy and the cavilings of the infidel and perverse.
Reflect, what answer could Mary have given to the people around her?
How could she claim that a Babe Whose father was unknown had been conceived of
the Holy Ghost? Therefore did Mary, that veiled and immortal Countenance, take
up her Child and return unto her home. No sooner had the eyes of the people
fallen upon her than they raised their voice saying: "O sister of Aaron! Thy
father was not a man of wickedness, nor unchaste thy mother." [Qur’an 19:28.]
And now, meditate upon this most great convulsion, this grievous test.
Notwithstanding all these things, God conferred upon that essence of the
Spirit, Who was known amongst the people as fatherless, the glory of
Prophethood, and made Him His testimony unto all that are in heaven and on
earth.
Behold how contrary are the ways of the Manifestations of God, as ordained by
the King of creation, to the ways and desires of men! As thou comest to
comprehend the essence of these divine mysteries, thou wilt grasp the purpose
of God, the divine Charmer, the Best-Beloved. Thou wilt regard the words and
the deeds of that almighty Sovereign as one and the same; in such wise that
whatsoever thou dost behold in His deeds, the same wilt thou find in His
sayings, and whatsoever thou dost read in His sayings, that wilt thou
recognize in His deeds. Thus it is that outwardly such deeds and words are the
fire of vengeance unto the wicked, and inwardly the waters of mercy unto the
righteous. Were the eye of the heart to open, it would surely perceive that
the words revealed from the heaven of the will of God are at one with, and the
same as, the deeds that have emanated from the Kingdom of divine power.
And now, take heed, O brother! If such things be revealed in this
Dispensation, and such incidents come to pass, at the present time, what would
the people do? I swear by Him Who is the true Educator of mankind and the
Revealer of the Word of God that the people would instantly and unquestionably
pronounce Him an infidel and would sentence Him to death. How far are they
from hearkening unto the voice that declareth: Lo! a Jesus hath appeared out
of the breath of the Holy Ghost, and a Moses summoned to a divinely-appointed
task! Were a myriad voices to be raised, no ear would listen if We said that
upon a fatherless Child hath been conferred the mission of Prophethood, or
that a murderer hath brought from the flame of the burning Bush the message of
"Verily, verily, I am God!"
If the eye of justice be opened, it will readily recognize, in the light of
that which hath been mentioned, that He, Who is the Cause and ultimate Purpose
of all these things, is made manifest in this day. Though similar events have
not occurred in this Dispensation, yet the people still cling to such vain
imaginings as are cherished by the reprobate. How grievous the charges brought
against Him! How severe the persecutions inflicted upon Him—charges and
persecutions the like of which men have neither seen nor heard!
Great God! When the stream of utterance reached this stage, We beheld, and lo!
the sweet savours of God were being wafted from the dayspring of Revelation,
and the morning breeze was blowing out of the Sheba of the Eternal. Its
tidings rejoiced anew the heart, and imparted immeasurable gladness to the
soul. It made all things new, and brought unnumbered and inestimable gifts
from the unknowable Friend. The robe of human praise can never hope to match
Its noble stature, and Its shining figure the mantle of utterance can never
fit. Without word It unfoldeth the inner mysteries, and without speech It
revealeth the secrets of the divine sayings. It teacheth lamentation and
moaning to the nightingales warbling upon the bough of remoteness and
bereavement, instructeth them in the art of love’s ways, and showeth them the
secret of heart-surrender. To the flowers of the Ridvan of heavenly reunion It
revealeth the endearments of the impassioned lover, and unveileth the charm of
the fair. Upon the anemones of the garden of love It bestoweth the mysteries
of truth, and within the breasts of lovers It entrusteth the symbols of the
innermost subtleties. At this hour, so liberal is the outpouring of Its grace
that the holy Spirit itself is envious! It hath imparted to the drop the waves
of the sea, and endowed the mote with the splendour of the sun. So great are
the overflowings of Its bounty that the foulest beetle hath sought the perfume
of the musk, and the bat the light of the sun. It hath quickened the dead with
the breath of life, and caused them to speed out of the sepulchres of their
mortal bodies. It hath established the ignorant upon the seats of learning,
and elevated the oppressor to the throne of justice.
The universe is pregnant with these manifold bounties, awaiting the hour when
the effects of Its unseen gifts will be made manifest in this world, when the
languishing and sore athirst will attain the living Kawthar of their Well-
Beloved, and the erring wanderer, lost in the wilds of remoteness and
nothingness, will enter the tabernacle of life, and attain reunion with his
heart’s desire. In the soil of whose heart will these holy seeds germinate?
From the garden of whose soul will the blossoms of the invisible realities
spring forth? Verily, I say, so fierce is the blaze of the Bush of love,
burning in the Sinai of the heart, that the streaming waters of holy utterance
can never quench its flame. Oceans can never allay this Leviathan’s burning
thirst, and this Phoenix of the undying fire can abide nowhere save in the
glow of the countenance of the Well-Beloved. Therefore, O brother! kindle with
the oil of wisdom the lamp of the spirit within the innermost chamber of thy
heart, and guard it with the globe of understanding, that the breath of the
infidel may extinguish not its flame nor dim its brightness. Thus have We
illuminated the heavens of utterance with the splendours of the Sun of divine
wisdom and understanding, that thy heart may find peace, that thou mayest be
of those who, on the wings of certitude, have soared unto the heaven of the
love of their Lord, the All-Merciful.
And now, concerning His words: "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of
man in heaven."
By these words it is meant that when the sun of the heavenly teachings hath
been eclipsed, the stars of the divinely-established laws have fallen, and the
moon of true knowledge—the educator of mankind—hath been obscured; when the
standards of guidance and felicity have been reversed, and the morn of truth
and righteousness hath sunk in night, then shall the sign of the Son of man
appear in heaven. By "heaven" is meant the visible heaven, inasmuch as when
the hour draweth nigh on which the Day-star of the heaven of justice shall be
made manifest, and the Ark of divine guidance shall sail upon the sea of
glory, a star will appear in the heaven, heralding unto its people the advent
of that most great light. In like manner, in the invisible heaven a star shall
be made manifest who, unto the peoples of the earth, shall act as a harbinger
of the break of that true and exalted Morn. These twofold signs, in the
visible and the invisible heaven, have announced the Revelation of each of the
Prophets of God, as is commonly believed.
Among the Prophets was Abraham, the Friend of God. Ere He manifested Himself,
Nimrod dreamed a dream. Thereupon, he summoned the soothsayers, who informed
him of the rise of a star in the heaven. Likewise, there appeared a herald who
announced throughout the land the coming of Abraham.
After Him came Moses, He Who held converse with God. The soothsayers of His
time warned Pharaoh in these terms: "A star hath risen in the heaven, and lo!
it foreshadoweth the conception of a Child Who holdeth your fate and the fate
of your people in His hand." In like manner, there appeared a sage who, in the
darkness of the night, brought tidings of joy unto the people of Israel,
imparting consolation to their souls, and assurance to their hearts. To this
testify the records of the sacred books. Were the details to be mentioned,
this epistle would swell into a book. Moreover, it is not Our wish to relate
the stories of the days that are past. God is Our witness that what We even
now mention is due solely to Our tender affection for thee, that haply the
poor of the earth may attain the shores of the sea of wealth, the ignorant be
led unto the ocean of divine knowledge, and they that thirst for understanding
partake of the Salsabil of divine wisdom. Otherwise, this servant regardeth
the consideration of such records a grave mistake and a grievous
transgression.
In like manner, when the hour of the Revelation of Jesus drew nigh, a few of
the Magi, aware that the star of Jesus had appeared in heaven, sought and
followed it, till they came unto the city which was the seat of the Kingdom of
Herod. The sway of his sovereignty in those days embraced the whole of that
land.
These Magi said: "Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen
His star in the east and are come to worship Him!" [Matthew 2:2.] When they
had searched, they found out that in Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, the
Child had been born. This was the sign that was manifested in the visible
heaven. As to the sign in the invisible heaven—the heaven of divine knowledge
and understanding—it was Yahya, son of Zachariah, who gave unto the people the
tidings of the Manifestation of Jesus. Even as He hath revealed: "God
announceth Yahya to thee, who shall bear witness unto the Word from God, and a
great one and chaste." [Qur’an 3:39.] By the term "Word" is meant Jesus, Whose
coming Yahya foretold. Moreover, in the heavenly Scriptures it is written:
"John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent
ye: for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." [Matthew 3:1-2.] By John is meant
Yahya.
Likewise, ere the beauty of Muhammad was unveiled, the signs of the visible
heaven were made manifest. As to the signs of the invisible heaven, there
appeared four men who successively announced unto the people the joyful
tidings of the rise of that divine Luminary. Ruz-bih, later named Salman, was
honoured by being in their service. As the end of one of these approached, he
would send Ruz-bih unto the other, until the fourth who, feeling his death to
be nigh, addressed Ruz-bih saying: "O Ruz-bih! when thou hast taken up my body
and buried it, go to Hijaz for there the Day-star of Muhammad will arise.
Happy art thou, for thou shalt behold His face!"
And now concerning this wondrous and most exalted Cause. Know thou verily that
many an astronomer hath announced the appearance of its star in the visible
heaven. Likewise, there appeared on earth Ahmad and Kazim, [Shaykh
Ahmad-i-Ahsa’i and Siyyid Kazim-i-Rashti.] those twin resplendent lights—may
God sanctify their resting-place!
From all that We have stated it hath become clear and manifest that before the
revelation of each of the Mirrors reflecting the divine Essence, the signs
heralding their advent must needs be revealed in the visible heaven as well as
in the invisible, wherein is the seat of the sun of knowledge, of the moon of
wisdom, and of the stars of understanding and utterance. The sign of the
invisible heaven must needs be revealed in the person of that perfect man who,
before each Manifestation appeareth, educateth, and prepareth the souls of men
for the advent of the divine Luminary, the Light of the unity of God amongst
men.
And now, with reference to His words: "And then shall all the tribes of the
earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory." These words signify that in those days men will
lament the loss of the Sun of the divine beauty, of the Moon of knowledge, and
of the Stars of divine wisdom. Thereupon, they will behold the countenance of
the promised One, the adored Beauty, descending from heaven and riding upon
the clouds.
By this is meant that the divine Beauty will be made manifest from the heaven
of the will of God, and will appear in the form of the human temple. The term
"heaven" denoteth loftiness and exaltation, inasmuch as it is the seat of the
revelation of those Manifestations of Holiness, the Day-springs of ancient
glory. These ancient Beings, though delivered from the womb of their mother,
have in reality descended from the heaven of the will of God. Though they be
dwelling on this earth, yet their true habitations are the retreats of glory
in the realms above. Whilst walking amongst mortals, they soar in the heaven
of the divine presence. Without feet they tread the path of the spirit, and
without wings they rise unto the exalted heights of divine unity. With every
fleeting breath they cover the immensity of space, and at every moment
traverse the kingdoms of the visible and the invisible. Upon their thrones is
written: "Nothing whatsoever keepeth Him from being occupied with any other
thing;" and on their seats is inscribed: "Verily, His ways differ every day."
[Qur’an 55:29. ] They are sent forth through the transcendent power of the
Ancient of Days, and are raised up by the exalted will of God, the most mighty
King. This is what is meant by the words: "coming in the clouds of heaven."
In the utterances of the divine Luminaries the term "heaven" hath been applied
to many and divers things; such as the "heaven of Command," the "heaven of
Will," the "heaven of the divine Purpose," the "heaven of divine Knowledge,"
the "heaven of Certitude," the "heaven of Utterance," the "heaven of
Revelation," the "heaven of Concealment," and the like. In every instance, He
hath given the term "heaven" a special meaning, the significance of which is
revealed to none save those that have been initiated into the divine
mysteries, and have drunk from the chalice of immortal life.
For example, He saith: "The heaven hath sustenance for you, and it containeth
that which you are promised;" [Qur’an 51:22.] whereas it is the earth that
yieldeth such sustenance. Likewise, it hath been said: "The names come down
from heaven;" whereas they proceed out of the mouth of men. Wert thou to
cleanse the mirror of thy heart from the dust of malice, thou wouldst
apprehend the meaning of the symbolic terms revealed by the all-embracing Word
of God made manifest in every Dispensation, and wouldst discover the mysteries
of divine knowledge. Not, however, until thou consumest with the flame of
utter detachment those veils of idle learning, that are current amongst men,
canst thou behold the resplendent morn of true knowledge.
Know verily that Knowledge is of two kinds: Divine and Satanic. The one
welleth out from the fountain of divine inspiration; the other is but a
reflection of vain and obscure thoughts. The source of the former is God
Himself; the motive-force of the latter the whisperings of selfish desire. The
one is guided by the principle: "Fear ye God; God will teach you;" [Qur’an
2:282.] the other is but a confirmation of the truth: "Knowledge is the most
grievous veil between man and his Creator." The former bringeth forth the
fruit of patience, of longing desire, of true understanding, and love; whilst
the latter can yield naught but arrogance, vainglory and conceit. From the
sayings of those Masters of holy utterance, Who have expounded the meaning of
true knowledge, the odour of these dark teachings, which have obscured the
world, can in no wise be detected. The tree of such teachings can yield no
result except iniquity and rebellion, and beareth no fruit but hatred and
envy. Its fruit is deadly poison; its shadow a consuming fire. How well hath
it been said: "Cling unto the robe of the Desire of thy heart, and put thou
away all shame; bid the worldlywise be gone, however great their name."
The heart must needs therefore be cleansed from the idle sayings of men, and
sanctified from every earthly affection, so that it may discover the hidden
meaning of divine inspiration, and become the treasury of the mysteries of
divine knowledge. Thus hath it been said: "He that treadeth the snow-white
Path, and followeth in the footsteps of the Crimson Pillar, shall never attain
unto his abode unless his hands are empty of those worldly things cherished by
men." This is the prime requisite of whosoever treadeth this path. Ponder
thereon, that, with eyes unveiled, thou mayest perceive the truth of these
words.
We have digressed from the purpose of Our argument, although whatsoever is
mentioned serveth only to confirm Our purpose. By God! however great Our
desire to be brief, yet We feel We cannot restrain Our pen. Notwithstanding
all that We have mentioned, how innumerable are the pearls which have remained
unpierced in the shell of Our heart! How many the huris of inner meaning that
are as yet concealed within the chambers of divine wisdom! None hath yet
approached them;--huris, "whom no man nor spirit hath touched before." [Qur’an
55:56.] Notwithstanding all that hath been said, it seemeth as if not one
letter of Our purpose hath been uttered, nor a single sign divulged concerning
Our object. When will a faithful seeker be found who will don the garb of
pilgrimage, attain the Ka’bih of the heart’s desire, and, without ear or
tongue, discover the mysteries of divine utterance?
By these luminous, these conclusive, and lucid statements, the meaning of
"heaven" in the aforementioned verse hath thus been made clear and evident.
And now regarding His words, that the Son of man shall "come in the clouds of
heaven."
By the term "clouds" is meant those things that are contrary to the ways and
desires of men. Even as He hath revealed in the verse already quoted: "As oft
as an Apostle cometh unto you with that which your souls desire not, ye swell
with pride, accusing some of being impostors and slaying others." [Qur’an
2:87.] These "clouds" signify, in one sense, the annulment of laws, the
abrogation of former Dispensations, the repeal of rituals and customs current
amongst men, the exalting of the illiterate faithful above the learned
opposers of the Faith. In another sense, they mean the appearance of that
immortal Beauty in the image of mortal man, with such human limitations as
eating and drinking, poverty and riches, glory and abasement, sleeping and
waking, and such other things as cast doubt in the minds of men, and cause
them to turn away. All such veils are symbolically referred to as "clouds."
These are the "clouds" that cause the heavens of the knowledge and
understanding of all that dwell on earth to be cloven asunder. Even as He hath
revealed: "On that day shall the heaven be cloven by the clouds." [Qur’an
25:25.] Even as the clouds prevent the eyes of men from beholding the sun, so
do these things hinder the souls of men from recognizing the light of the
divine Luminary. To this beareth witness that which hath proceeded out of the
mouth of the unbelievers as revealed in the sacred Book: "And they have said:
‘What manner of apostle is this? He eateth food, and walketh the streets.
Unless an angel be sent down and take part in His warnings, we will not
believe.’" [Qur’an 25:7.] Other Prophets, similarly, have been subject to
poverty and afflictions, to hunger, and to the ills and chances of this world.
As these holy Persons were subject to such needs and wants, the people were,
consequently, lost in the wilds of misgivings and doubts, and were afflicted
with bewilderment and perplexity. How, they wondered, could such a person be
sent down from God, assert His ascendancy over all the peoples and kindreds of
the earth, and claim Himself to be the goal of all creation,-- even as He hath
said: "But for Thee, I would not have created all that are in heaven and on
earth," and yet be subject to such trivial things? You must undoubtedly have
been informed of the tribulations, the poverty, the ills, and the degradation
that have befallen every Prophet of God and His companions. You must have
heard how the heads of their followers were sent as presents unto different
cities, how grievously they were hindered from that whereunto they were
commanded. Each and every one of them fell a prey to the hands of the enemies
of His Cause, and had to suffer whatsoever they decreed.
It is evident that the changes brought about in every Dispensation constitute
the dark clouds that intervene between the eye of man’s understanding and the
divine Luminary which shineth forth from the dayspring of the divine Essence.
Consider how men for generations have been blindly imitating their fathers,
and have been trained according to such ways and manners as have been laid
down by the dictates of their Faith. Were these men, therefore, to discover
suddenly that a Man, Who hath been living in their midst, Who, with respect to
every human limitation, hath been their equal, had risen to abolish every
established principle imposed by their Faith—principles by which for centuries
they have been disciplined, and every opposer and denier of which they have
come to regard as infidel, profligate and wicked,--they would of a certainty
be veiled and hindered from acknowledging His truth. Such things are as
"clouds" that veil the eyes of those whose inner being hath not tasted the
Salsabil of detachment, nor drunk from the Kawthar of the knowledge of God.
Such men, when acquainted with these circumstances, become so veiled that
without the least question, they pronounce the Manifestation of God an
infidel, and sentence Him to death. You must have heard of such things taking
place all down the ages, and are now observing them in these days.
It behooveth us, therefore, to make the utmost endeavour, that, by God’s
invisible assistance, these dark veils, these clouds of Heaven-sent trials,
may not hinder us from beholding the beauty of His shining Countenance, and
that we may recognize Him only by His own Self. And should we ask for a
testimony of His truth, we should content ourselves with one, and only one;
that thereby we may attain unto Him Who is the Fountain-head of infinite
grace, and in Whose presence all the world’s abundance fadeth into
nothingness, that we may cease to cavil at Him every day and to cleave unto
our own idle fancy.
Gracious God! Notwithstanding the warning which, in marvelously symbolic
language and subtle allusions, hath been uttered in days past, and which was
intended to awaken the peoples of the world and to prevent them from being
deprived of their share of the billowing ocean of God’s grace, yet such things
as have already been witnessed have come to pass! Reference to these things
hath also been made in the Qur’an, as witnessed by this verse: "What can such
expect but that God should come down to them overshadowed with clouds?"
[Qur’an 2:210.]
A number of the divines, who hold firmly to the letter of the Word of God,
have come to regard this verse as one of the signs of that expected
resurrection which is born of their idle fancy. This, notwithstanding the fact
that similar references have been made in most of the heavenly Books, and have
been recorded in all the passages connected with the signs of the coming
Manifestation.
Likewise, He saith: "On the day when the heaven shall give out a palpable
smoke, which shall enshroud mankind: this will be an afflictive torment."
[Qur’an 44:10.] The All-Glorious hath decreed these very things, that are
contrary to the desires of wicked men, to be the touchstone and standard
whereby He proveth His servants, that the just may be known from the wicked,
and the faithful distinguished from the infidel. The symbolic term "smoke"
denotes grave dissensions, the abrogation and demolition of recognized
standards, and the utter destruction of their narrow-minded exponents.
What smoke more dense and overpowering than the one which hath now enshrouded
all the peoples of the world, which hath become a torment unto them, and from
which they hopelessly fail to deliver themselves, however much they strive? So
fierce is this fire of self burning within them, that at every moment they
seem to be afflicted with fresh torments. The more they are told that this
wondrous Cause of God, this Revelation from the Most High, hath been made
manifest to all mankind, and is waxing greater and stronger every day, the
fiercer groweth the blaze of the fire in their hearts. The more they observe
the indomitable strength, the sublime renunciation, the unwavering constancy
of God’s holy companions, who, by the aid of God, are growing nobler and more
glorious every day, the deeper the dismay which ravageth their souls. In these
days, praise be to God, the power of His Word hath obtained such ascendancy
over men, that they dare breathe no word. Were they to encounter one of the
companions of God who, if he could, would, freely and joyously, offer up ten
thousand lives as a sacrifice for his Beloved, so great would be their fear,
that they forthwith would profess their faith in Him, whilst privily they
would vilify and execrate His name! Even as He hath revealed: "And when they
meet you, they say, ‘We believe’; but when they are apart, they bite their
fingers’ ends at you, out of wrath. Say: ‘Die in your wrath!’ God truly
knoweth the very recesses of your breasts." [Qur’an 3:119.]
Ere long, thine eyes will behold the standards of divine power unfurled
throughout all regions, and the signs of His triumphant might and sovereignty
manifest in every land. As most of the divines have failed to apprehend the
meaning of these verses, and have not grasped the significance of the Day of
Resurrection, they therefore have foolishly interpreted these verses according
to their idle and faulty conception. The one true God is My witness! Little
perception is required to enable them to gather from the symbolic language of
these two verses all that We have purposed to propound, and thus to attain,
through the grace of the All-Merciful, the resplendent morn of certitude. Such
are the strains of celestial melody which the immortal Bird of Heaven,
warbling upon the Sadrih of Baha, poureth out upon thee, that, by the
permission of God, thou mayest tread the path of divine knowledge and wisdom.
And now, concerning His words: "And He shall send His angels...." By "angels"
is meant those who, reinforced by the power of the spirit, have consumed, with
the fire of the love of God, all human traits and limitations, and have
clothed themselves with the attributes of the most exalted Beings and of the
Cherubim. That holy man, Sadiq, [The sixth Imam of the Shi’ihs.] in his eulogy
of the Cherubim, saith: "There stand a company of our fellow-Shi’ihs behind
the Throne." Divers and manifold are the interpretations of the words "behind
the Throne." In one sense, they indicate that no true Shi’ihs exist. Even as
he hath said in another passage: "A true believer is likened unto the
philosopher’s stone."
Addressing subsequently his listener, he saith:
"Hast thou ever seen the philosopher’s stone?" Reflect, how this symbolic
language, more eloquent than any speech, however direct, testifieth to the
non-existence of a true believer. Such is the testimony of Sadiq. And now
consider, how unfair and numerous are those who, although they themselves have
failed to inhale the fragrance of belief, have condemned as infidels those by
whose word belief itself is recognized and established.
And now, inasmuch as these holy beings have sanctified themselves from every
human limitation, have become endowed with the attributes of the spiritual,
and have been adorned with the noble traits of the blessed, they therefore
have been designated as "angels." Such is the meaning of these verses, every
word of which hath been expounded by the aid of the most lucid texts, the most
convincing arguments, and the best established evidences.
As the adherents of Jesus have never understood the hidden meaning of these
words, and as the signs which they and the leaders of their Faith have
expected have failed to appear, they therefore refused to acknowledge, even
until now, the truth of those Manifestations of Holiness that have since the
days of Jesus been made manifest. They have thus deprived themselves of the
outpourings of God’s holy grace, and of the wonders of His divine utterance.
Such is their low estate in this, the Day of Resurrection! They have even
failed to perceive that were the signs of the Manifestation of God in every
age to appear in the visible realm in accordance with the text of established
traditions, none could possibly deny or turn away, nor would the blessed be
distinguished from the miserable, and the transgressor from the God-fearing.
Judge fairly: Were the prophecies recorded in the Gospel to be literally
fulfilled; were Jesus, Son of Mary, accompanied by angels, to descend from the
visible heaven upon the clouds; who would dare to disbelieve, who would dare
to reject the truth, and wax disdainful? Nay, such consternation would
immediately seize all the dwellers of the earth that no soul would feel able
to utter a word, much less to reject or accept the truth. It was owing to
their misunderstanding of these truths that many a Christian divine hath
objected to Muhammad, and voiced his protest in such words: "If Thou art in
truth the promised Prophet, why then art Thou not accompanied by those angels
our sacred Books foretold, and which must needs descend with the promised
Beauty to assist Him in His Revelation and act as warners unto His people?"
Even as the All-Glorious hath recorded their statement: "Why hath not an angel
been sent down to him, so that he should have been a warner with Him?" [Qur’an
25:7.]
Such objections and differences have persisted in every age and century. The
people have always busied themselves with such specious discourses, vainly
protesting: "Wherefore hath not this or that sign appeared?" Such ills befell
them only because they have clung to the ways of the divines of the age in
which they lived, and blindly imitated them in accepting or denying these
Essences of Detachment, these holy and divine Beings. These leaders, owing to
their immersion in selfish desires, and their pursuit of transitory and sordid
things, have regarded these divine Luminaries as being opposed to the
standards of their knowledge and understanding, and the opponents of their
ways and judgments. As they have literally interpreted the Word of God, and
the sayings and traditions of the Letters of Unity, and expounded them
according to their own deficient understanding, they have therefore deprived
themselves and all their people of the bountiful showers of the grace and
mercies of God. And yet they bear witness to this well-known tradition:
"Verily Our Word is abstruse, bewilderingly abstruse." In another instance, it
is said: "Our Cause is sorely trying, highly perplexing; none can bear it
except a favorite of heaven, or an inspired Prophet, or he whose faith God
hath tested." These leaders of religion admit that none of these three
specified conditions is applicable to them. The first two conditions are
manifestly beyond their reach; as to the third, it is evident that at no time
have they been proof against those tests that have been sent by God, and that
when the divine Touchstone appeared, they have shown themselves to be naught
but dross.
Great God! Notwithstanding their acceptance of the truth of this tradition,
these divines who are still doubtful of, and dispute about, the theological
obscurities of their faith, yet claim to be the exponents of the subtleties of
the law of God, and the expounders of the essential mysteries of His holy
Word. They confidently assert that such traditions as indicate the advent of
the expected Qa’im have not yet been fulfilled, whilst they themselves have
failed to inhale the fragrance of the meaning of these traditions, and are
still oblivious of the fact that all the signs foretold have come to pass,
that the way of God’s holy Cause hath been revealed, and the concourse of the
faithful, swift as lightning, are, even now, passing upon that way, whilst
these foolish divines wait expecting to witness the signs foretold. Say, O ye
foolish ones! Wait ye even as those before you are waiting!
Were they to be questioned concerning those signs that must needs herald the
revelation and rise of the sun of the Muhammadan Dispensation, to which We
have already referred, none of which have been literally fulfilled, and were
it to be said to them: "Wherefore have ye rejected the claims advanced by
Christians and the peoples of other faiths and regard them as infidels,"
knowing not what answer to give, they will reply: "These Books have been
corrupted and are not, and never have been, of God." Reflect: the words of the
verses themselves eloquently testify to the truth that they are of God. A
similar verse hath been also revealed in the Qur’an, were ye of them that
comprehend. Verily I say, throughout all this period they have utterly failed
to comprehend what is meant by corrupting the text.
Yea, in the writings and utterances of the Mirrors reflecting the sun of the
Muhammadan Dispensation mention hath been made of "Modification by the exalted
beings" and "alteration by the disdainful." Such passages, however, refer only
to particular cases. Among them is the story of Ibn-i-Suriya. When the people
of Khaybar asked the focal center of the Muhammadan Revelation concerning the
penalty of adultery committed between a married man and a married woman,
Muhammad answered and said: "The law of God is death by stoning." Whereupon
they protested saying:
"No such law hath been revealed in the Pentateuch." Muhammad answered and
said: "Whom do ye regard among your rabbis as being a recognized authority and
having a sure knowledge of the truth?" They agreed upon Ibn-i-Suriya.
Thereupon Muhammad summoned him and said: "I adjure thee by God Who clove the
sea for you, caused manna to descend upon you, and the cloud to overshadow
you, Who delivered you from Pharaoh and his people, and exalted you above all
human beings, to tell us what Moses hath decreed concerning adultery between a
married man and a married woman." He made reply: "O Muhammad! death by stoning
is the law." Muhammad observed:
"Why is it then that this law is annulled and hath ceased to operate among the
Jews?" He answered and said: "When Nebuchadnezzar delivered Jerusalem to the
flames, and put the Jews to death, only a few survived. The divines of that
age, considering the extremely limited number of the Jews, and the multitude
of the Amalekites, took counsel together, and came to the conclusion that were
they to enforce the law of the Pentateuch, every survivor who hath been
delivered from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar would have to be put to death
according to the verdict of the Book. Owing to such considerations, they
totally repealed the penalty of death." Meanwhile Gabriel inspired Muhammad’s
illumined heart with these words: "They pervert the text of the Word of God."
[Qur’an 4:45.]
This is one of the instances that have been referred to. Verily by
"perverting" the text is not meant that which these foolish and abject souls
have fancied, even as some maintain that Jewish and Christian divines have
effaced from the Book such verses as extol and magnify the countenance of
Muhammad, and instead thereof have inserted the contrary. How utterly vain and
false are these words! Can a man who believeth in a book, and deemeth it to be
inspired by God, mutilate it?
Moreover, the Pentateuch had been spread over the surface of the earth, and
was not confined to Mecca and Medina, so that they could privily corrupt and
pervert its text. Nay, rather, by corruption of the text is meant that in
which all Muslim divines are engaged today, that is the interpretation of
God’s holy Book in accordance with their idle imaginings and vain desires. And
as the Jews, in the time of Muhammad, interpreted those verses of the
Pentateuch, that referred to His Manifestation, after their own fancy, and
refused to be satisfied with His holy utterance, the charge of "perverting"
the text was therefore pronounced against them. Likewise, it is clear, how in
this day, the people of the Qur’an have perverted the text of God’s holy Book,
concerning the signs of the expected Manifestation, and interpreted it
according to their inclination and desires.
In yet another instance, He saith: "A part of them heard the Word of God, and
then, after they had understood it, distorted it, and knew that they did so."
[Qur’an 2:75.] This verse, too, doth indicate that the meaning of the Word of
God hath been perverted, not that the actual words have been effaced. To the
truth of this testify they that are sound of mind.
Again in another instance, He saith: "Woe unto those who, with their own
hands, transcribe the Book corruptly, and then say: ‘This is from God,’ that
they may sell it for some mean price." [Qur’an 2:79.] This verse was revealed
with reference to the divines and leaders of the Jewish Faith. These divines,
in order to please the rich, acquire worldly emoluments, and give vent to
their envy and misbelief, wrote a number of treatises, refuting the claims of
Muhammad, supporting their arguments with such evidences as it would be
improper to mention, and claimed that these arguments were derived from the
text of the Pentateuch.
The same may be witnessed today. Consider how abundant are the denunciations
written by the foolish divines of this age against this most wondrous Cause!
How vain their imaginings that these calumnies are in conformity with the
verses of God’s sacred Book, and in consonance with the utterances of men of
discernment!
Our purpose in relating these things is to warn you that were they to maintain
that those verses wherein the signs referred to in the Gospel are mentioned
have been perverted, were they to reject them, and cling instead to other
verses and traditions, you should know that their words were utter falsehood
and sheer calumny. Yea "corruption" of the text, in the sense We have referred
to, hath been actually effected in particular instances.
A few of these We have mentioned, that it may become manifest to every
discerning observer that unto a few untutored holy Men hath been given the
mastery of human learning, so that the malevolent opposer may cease to contend
that a certain verse doth indicate "corruption" of the text, and insinuate
that We, through lack of knowledge, have made mention of such things.
Moreover, most of the verses that indicate "corruption" of the text have been
revealed with reference to the Jewish people, were ye to explore the isles of
Qur’anic Revelation.
We have also heard a number of the foolish of the earth assert that the
genuine text of the heavenly Gospel doth not exist amongst the Christians,
that it hath ascended unto heaven. How grievously they have erred! How
oblivious of the fact that such a statement imputeth the gravest injustice and
tyranny to a gracious and loving Providence! How could God, when once the Day-
star of the beauty of Jesus had disappeared from the sight of His people, and
ascended unto the fourth heaven, cause His holy Book, His most great testimony
amongst His creatures, to disappear also? What would be left to that people to
cling to from the setting of the day-star of Jesus until the rise of the sun
of the Muhammadan Dispensation? What law could be their stay and guide? How
could such people be made the victims of the avenging wrath of God, the
omnipotent Avenger? How could they be afflicted with the scourge of
chastisement by the heavenly King? Above all, how could the flow of the grace
of the All-Bountiful be stayed? How could the ocean of His tender mercies be
stilled? We take refuge with God, from that which His creatures have fancied
about Him! Exalted is He above their comprehension!
Dear friend! Now when the light of God’s everlasting Morn is breaking; when
the radiance of His holy words: "God is the light of the heavens and of the
earth" [Qur’an 24:35.] is shedding illumination upon all mankind; when the
inviolability of His tabernacle is being proclaimed by His sacred utterance:
"God hath willed to perfect His light;" [Qur’an 9:33.] and the Hand of
omnipotence, bearing His testimony: "In His grasp He holdeth the kingdom of
all things," is being outstretched unto all the peoples and kindreds of the
earth; it behooveth us to gird up the loins of endeavour, that haply, by the
grace and bounty of God, we may enter the celestial City:
"Verily, we are God’s," and abide within the exalted habitation: "And unto Him
we do return."
It is incumbent upon thee, by the permission of God, to cleanse the eye of
thine heart from the things of the world, that thou mayest realize the
infinitude of divine knowledge, and mayest behold Truth so clearly that thou
wilt need no proof to demonstrate His reality, nor any evidence to bear
witness unto His testimony.
O affectionate seeker! Shouldst thou soar in the holy realm of the spirit,
thou wouldst recognize God manifest and exalted above all things, in such wise
that thine eyes would behold none else but Him. "God was alone; there was none
else besides Him." So lofty is this station that no testimony can bear it
witness, neither evidence do justice to its truth. Wert thou to explore the
sacred domain of truth, thou wilt find that all things are known only by the
light of His recognition, that He hath ever been, and will continue for ever
to be, known through Himself. And if thou dwellest in the land of testimony,
content thyself with that which He, Himself, hath revealed: "Is it not enough
for them that We have sent down unto Thee the Book?" [Qur’an 29:51] This is
the testimony which He, Himself, hath ordained; greater proof than this there
is none, nor ever will be: "This proof is His Word; His own Self, the
testimony of His truth."
And now, We beseech the people of the Bayan, all the learned, the sages, the
divines, and witnesses amongst them, not to forget the wishes and admonitions
revealed in their Book. Let them, at all times, fix their gaze upon the
essentials of His Cause, lest when He, Who is the Quintessence of truth, the
inmost Reality of all things, the Source of all light, is made manifest, they
cling unto certain passages of the Book, and inflict upon Him that which was
inflicted in the Dispensation of the Qur’an. For, verily, powerful is He, the
King of divine might, to extinguish with one letter of His wondrous words, the
breath of life in the whole of the Bayan and the people thereof, and with one
letter bestow upon them a new and everlasting life, and cause them to arise
and speed out of the sepulchres of their vain and selfish desires. Take heed,
and be watchful; and remember that all things have their consummation in
belief in Him, in attainment unto His day, and in the realization of His
divine presence. "There is no piety in turning your faces toward the east or
toward the west, but he is pious who believeth in God and the Last Day."
[Qur’an 2:176.] Give ear, O people of the Bayan, unto the truth whereunto We
have admonished you, that haply ye may seek the shelter of the shadow
extended, in the Day of God, upon all mankind.
END OF PART ONE
__
PART TWO
Verily He Who is the Day-star of Truth and Revealer of the Supreme Being
holdeth, for all time, undisputed sovereignty over all that is in heaven and
on earth, though no man be found on earth to obey Him. He verily is
independent of all earthly dominion, though He be utterly destitute. Thus We
reveal unto thee the mysteries of the Cause of God, and bestow upon thee the
gems of divine wisdom, that haply thou mayest soar on the wings of
renunciation to those heights that are veiled from the eyes of men.
THE significance and essential purpose underlying these words is to reveal and
demonstrate unto the pure in heart and the sanctified in spirit that they Who
are the Luminaries of truth and the Mirrors reflecting the light of divine
Unity, in whatever age and cycle they are sent down from their invisible
habitations of ancient glory unto this world, to educate the souls of men and
endue with grace all created things, are invariably endowed with an all-
compelling power, and invested with invincible sovereignty. For these hidden
Gems, these concealed and invisible Treasures, in themselves manifest and
vindicate the reality of these holy words: "Verily God doeth whatsoever He
willeth, and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth."
To every discerning and illumined heart it is evident that God, the unknowable
Essence, the divine Being, is immensely exalted beyond every human attribute,
such as corporeal existence, ascent and descent, egress and regress. Far be it
from His glory that human tongue should adequately recount His praise, or that
human heart comprehend His fathomless mystery. He is and hath ever been veiled
in the ancient eternity of His Essence, and will remain in His Reality
everlastingly hidden from the sight of men. "No vision taketh in Him, but He
taketh in all vision; He is the Subtile, the All-Perceiving." [Qur’an 6:103.]
No tie of direct intercourse can possibly bind Him to His creatures.
He standeth exalted beyond and above all separation and union, all proximity
and remoteness. No sign can indicate His presence or His absence; inasmuch as
by a word of His command all that are in heaven and on earth have come to
exist, and by His wish, which is the Primal Will itself, all have stepped out
of utter nothingness into the realm of being, the world of the visible.
Gracious God! How could there be conceived any existing relationship or
possible connection between His Word and they that are created of it? The
verse: "God would have you beware of Himself" [Qur’an 3:28.] unmistakably
beareth witness to the reality of Our argument, and the words: "God was alone;
there was none else besides Him" are a sure testimony of its truth. All the
Prophets of God and their chosen Ones, all the divines, the sages, and the
wise of every generation, unanimously recognize their inability to attain unto
the comprehension of that Quintessence of all truth, and confess their
incapacity to grasp Him, Who is the inmost Reality of all things.
The door of the knowledge of the Ancient of Days being thus closed in the face
of all beings, the Source of infinite grace, according to His saying: "His
grace hath transcended all things; My grace hath encompassed them all" hath
caused those luminous Gems of Holiness to appear out of the realm of the
spirit, in the noble form of the human temple, and be made manifest unto all
men, that they may impart unto the world the mysteries of the unchangeable
Being, and tell of the subtleties of His imperishable Essence. These
sanctified Mirrors, these Day-springs of ancient glory are one and all the
Exponents on earth of Him Who is the central Orb of the universe, its Essence
and ultimate Purpose. From Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is
derived their sovereignty. The beauty of their countenance is but a reflection
of His image, and their revelation a sign of His deathless glory. They are the
Treasuries of divine knowledge, and the Repositories of celestial wisdom.
Through them is transmitted a grace that is infinite, and by them is revealed
the light that can never fade. Even as He hath said: "There is no distinction
whatsoever between Thee and them; except that they are Thy servants, and are
created of Thee." This is the significance of the tradition: "I am He,
Himself, and He is I, myself."
The traditions and sayings that bear direct reference to Our theme are divers
and manifold; We have refrained from quoting them for the sake of brevity.
Nay, whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is a direct
evidence of the revelation within it of the attributes and names of God,
inasmuch as within every atom are enshrined the signs that bear eloquent
testimony to the revelation of that most great Light. Methinks, but for the
potency of that revelation, no being could ever exist. How resplendent the
luminaries of knowledge that shine in an atom, and how vast the oceans of
wisdom that surge within a drop! To a supreme degree is this true of man, who,
among all created things, hath been invested with the robe of such gifts, and
hath been singled out for the glory of such distinction. For in him are
potentially revealed all the attributes and names of God to a degree that no
other created being hath excelled or surpassed. All these names and attributes
are applicable to him. Even as He hath said: "Man is My mystery, and I am his
mystery." Manifold are the verses that have been repeatedly revealed in all
the heavenly Books and the holy Scriptures, expressive of this most subtle and
lofty theme. Even as He hath revealed: "We will surely show them Our signs in
the world and within themselves." [Qur’an 41:53.] Again He saith: "And also in
your own selves: will ye not then behold the signs of God?" [Qur’an 51:21.]
And yet again He revealeth: "And be ye not like those who forget God, and whom
He hath therefore caused to forget their own selves." [Qur’an 59:19.] In this
connection, He Who is the eternal King—may the souls of all that dwell within
the mystic Tabernacle be a sacrifice unto Him—hath spoken: "He hath known God
who hath known himself."
I swear by God, O esteemed and honoured friend! Shouldst thou ponder these
words in thine heart, thou wilt of a certainty find the doors of divine wisdom
and infinite knowledge flung open before thy face.
From that which hath been said it becometh evident that all things, in their
inmost reality, testify to the revelation of the names and attributes of God
within them. Each according to its capacity, indicateth, and is expressive of,
the knowledge of God. So potent and universal is this revelation, that it hath
encompassed all things, visible and invisible. Thus hath He revealed: "Hath
aught else save Thee a power of revelation which is not possessed by Thee,
that it could have manifested Thee? Blind is the eye which doth not perceive
Thee." Likewise, hath the eternal King spoken:
"No thing have I perceived, except that I perceived God within it, God before
it, or God after it." Also in the tradition of Kumayl it is written:
"Behold, a light hath shone forth out of the Morn of eternity, and lo! its
waves have penetrated the inmost reality of all men." Man, the noblest and
most perfect of all created things, excelleth them all in the intensity of
this revelation, and is a fuller expression of its glory. And of all men, the
most accomplished, the most distinguished and the most excellent are the
Manifestations of the Sun of Truth. Nay, all else besides these
Manifestations, live by the operation of their Will, and move and have their
being through the outpourings of their grace. "But for Thee, I would have not
created the heavens." Nay, all in their holy presence fade into utter
nothingness, and are a thing forgotten. Human tongue can never befittingly
sing their praise, and human speech can never unfold their mystery. These
Tabernacles of holiness, these primal Mirrors which reflect the light of
unfading glory, are but expressions of Him Who is the Invisible of the
Invisibles. By the revelation of these gems of divine virtue all the names and
attributes of God, such as knowledge and power, sovereignty and dominion,
mercy and wisdom, glory, bounty and grace, are made manifest.
These attributes of God are not and have never been vouchsafed specially unto
certain Prophets, and withheld from others. Nay, all the Prophets of God, His
well-favoured, His holy, and chosen Messengers, are, without exception, the
bearers of His names, and the embodiments of His attributes. They only differ
in the intensity of their revelation, and the comparative potency of their
light. Even as He hath revealed: "Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel
the others." [Qur’an 2:253.] It hath therefore become manifest and evident
that within the tabernacles of these Prophets and chosen Ones of God the light
of His infinite names and exalted attributes hath been reflected, even though
the light of some of these attributes may or may not be outwardly revealed
from these luminous Temples to the eyes of men. That a certain attribute of
God hath not been outwardly manifested by these Essences of Detachment doth in
no wise imply that they Who are the Daysprings of God’s attributes and the
Treasuries of His holy names did not actually possess it. Therefore, these
illuminated Souls, these beauteous Countenances have, each and every one of
them, been endowed with all the attributes of God, such as sovereignty,
dominion, and the like, even though to outward seeming they be shorn of all
earthly majesty. To every discerning eye this is evident and manifest; it
requireth neither proof nor evidence.
Yea, inasmuch as the peoples of the world have failed to seek from the
luminous and crystal Springs of divine knowledge the inner meaning of God’s
holy words, they therefore have languished, stricken and sore athirst, in the
vale of idle fancy and waywardness. They have strayed far from the fresh and
thirst-subduing waters, and gathered round the salt that burneth bitterly.
Concerning them, the Dove of Eternity hath spoken: "And if they see the path
of righteousness, they will not take it for their path; but if they see the
path of error, for their path will they take it. This, because they treated
Our signs as lies, and were heedless of them." [Qur’an 7:145.]
To this testifieth that which hath been witnessed in this wondrous and exalted
Dispensation. Myriads of holy verses have descended from the heaven of might
and grace, yet no one hath turned thereunto, nor ceased to cling to those
words of men, not one letter of which they that have spoken them comprehend.
For this reason the people have doubted incontestable truths, such as these,
and caused themselves to be deprived of the Ridvan of divine knowledge, and
the eternal meads of celestial wisdom.
And now, to resume Our argument concerning the question: Why is it that the
sovereignty of the Qa’im, affirmed in the text of recorded traditions, and
handed down by the shining stars of the Muhammadan Dispensation, hath not in
the least been made manifest? Nay, the contrary hath come to pass. Have not
His disciples and companions been afflicted of men? Are they not still the
victims of the fierce opposition of their enemies? Are they not today leading
the life of abased and impotent mortals? Yea, the sovereignty attributed to
the Qa’im and spoken of in the scriptures, is a reality, the truth of which
none can doubt. This sovereignty, however, is not the sovereignty which the
minds of men have falsely imagined.
Moreover, the Prophets of old, each and every one, whenever announcing to the
people of their day the advent of the coming Revelation, have invariably and
specifically referred to that sovereignty with which the promised
Manifestation must needs be invested. This is attested by the records of the
scriptures of the past. This sovereignty hath not been solely and exclusively
attributed to the Qa’im. Nay rather, the attribute of sovereignty and all
other names and attributes of God have been and will ever be vouchsafed unto
all the Manifestations of God, before and after Him, inasmuch as these
Manifestations, as it hath already been explained, are the Embodiments of the
attributes of God, the Invisible, and the Revealers of the divine mysteries.
Furthermore, by sovereignty is meant the all-encompassing, all-pervading power
which is inherently exercised by the Qa’im whether or not He appear to the
world clothed in the majesty of earthly dominion. This is solely dependent
upon the will and pleasure of the Qa’im Himself. You will readily recognize
that the terms sovereignty, wealth, life, death, judgment and resurrection,
spoken of by the scriptures of old, are not what this generation hath
conceived and vainly imagined.
Nay, by sovereignty is meant that sovereignty which in every dispensation
resideth within, and is exercised by, the person of the Manifestation, the
Day-star of Truth. That sovereignty is the spiritual ascendancy which He
exerciseth to the fullest degree over all that is in heaven and on earth, and
which in due time revealeth itself to the world in direct proportion to its
capacity and spiritual receptiveness, even as the sovereignty of Muhammad, the
Messenger of God, is today apparent and manifest amongst the people. You are
well aware of what befell His Faith in the early days of His dispensation.
What woeful sufferings did the hand of the infidel and erring, the divines of
that age and their associates, inflict upon that spiritual Essence, that most
pure and holy Being! How abundant the thorns and briars which they have strewn
over His path! It is evident that wretched generation, in their wicked and
satanic fancy, regarded every injury to that immortal Being as a means to the
attainment of an abiding felicity; inasmuch as the recognized divines of that
age, such as Abdu’llah-i-Ubayy, Abu-‘Amir, the hermit, Ka’b-Ibn-i-Ashraf, and
Nadr-Ibn-i-Harith, all treated Him as an impostor, and pronounced Him a
lunatic and a calumniator. Such sore accusations they brought against Him that
in recounting them God forbiddeth the ink to flow, Our pen to move, or the
page to bear them. These malicious imputations provoked the people to arise
and torment Him. And how fierce that torment if the divines of the age be its
chief instigators, if they denounce Him to their followers, cast Him out from
their midst, and declare Him a miscreant! Hath not the same befallen this
Servant, and been witnessed by all?
For this reason did Muhammad cry out: "No Prophet of God hath suffered such
harm as I have suffered." And in the Qur’an are recorded all the calumnies and
reproaches uttered against Him, as well as all the afflictions which He
suffered. Refer ye thereunto, that haply ye may be informed of that which hath
befallen His Revelation. So grievous was His plight, that for a time all
ceased to hold intercourse with Him and His companions. Whoever associated
with Him fell a victim to the relentless cruelty of His enemies.
We shall cite in this connection only one verse of that Book. Shouldst thou
observe it with a discerning eye, thou wilt, all the remaining days of thy
life, lament and bewail the injury of Muhammad, that wronged and oppressed
Messenger of God.
That verse was revealed at a time when Muhammad languished weary and sorrowful
beneath the weight of the opposition of the people, and of their unceasing
torture. In the midst of His agony, the Voice of Gabriel, calling from the
Sadratu’l-Muntaha, was heard saying: "But if their opposition be grievous to
Thee—if Thou canst, seek out an opening into the earth or a ladder into
heaven." [Qur’an 6:35.] The implication of this utterance is that His case had
no remedy, that they would not withhold their hands from Him unless He should
hide Himself beneath the depths of the earth, or take His flight unto heaven.
Consider, how great is the change today! Behold, how many are the Sovereigns
who bow the knee before His name! How numerous the nations and kingdoms who
have sought the shelter of His shadow, who bear allegiance to His Faith, and
pride themselves therein! From the pulpit-top there ascendeth today the words
of praise which, in utter lowliness, glorify His blessed name; and from the
heights of minarets there resoundeth the call that summoneth the concourse of
His people to adore Him. Even those Kings of the earth who have refused to
embrace His Faith and to put off the garment of unbelief, none the less
confess and acknowledge the greatness and overpowering majesty of that Day-
star of loving kindness. Such is His earthly sovereignty, the evidences of
which thou dost on every side behold. This sovereignty must needs be revealed
and established either in the lifetime of every Manifestation of God or after
His ascension unto His true habitation in the realms above. What thou dost
witness today is but a confirmation of this truth. That spiritual ascendency,
however, which is primarily intended, resideth within, and revolveth around
Them from eternity even unto eternity. It can never for a moment be divorced
from Them. Its dominion hath encompassed all that is in heaven and on earth.
The following is an evidence of the sovereignty exercised by Muhammad, the
Day-star of Truth. Hast thou not heard how with one single verse He hath
sundered light from darkness, the righteous from the ungodly, and the
believing from the infidel? All the signs and allusions concerning the Day of
Judgment, which thou hast heard, such as the raising of the dead, the Day of
Reckoning, the Last Judgment, and others have been made manifest through the
revelation of that verse. These revealed words were a blessing to the
righteous who on hearing them exclaimed: "O God our Lord, we have heard, and
obeyed." They were a curse to the people of iniquity who, on hearing them
affirmed:
"We have heard and rebelled." Those words, sharp as the sword of God, have
separated the faithful from the infidel, and severed father from son. Thou
hast surely witnessed how they that have confessed their faith in Him and they
that rejected Him have warred against each other, and sought one another’s
property. How many fathers have turned away from their sons; how many lovers
have shunned their beloved! So mercilessly trenchant was this wondrous sword
of God that it cleft asunder every relationship! On the other hand, consider
the welding power of His Word. Observe, how those in whose midst the Satan of
self had for years sown the seeds of malice and hate became so fused and
blended through their allegiance to this wondrous and transcendent Revelation
that it seemed as if they had sprung from the same loins. Such is the binding
force of the Word of God, which uniteth the hearts of them that have renounced
all else but Him, who have believed in His signs, and quaffed from the Hand of
glory the Kawthar of God’s holy grace. Furthermore, how numerous are those
peoples of divers beliefs, of conflicting creeds, and opposing temperaments,
who, through the reviving fragrance of the Divine springtime, breathing from
the Ridvan of God, have been arrayed with the new robe of divine Unity, and
have drunk from the cup of His singleness!
This is the significance of the well-known words: "The wolf and the lamb shall
feed together." [Isaiah 65:25.] Behold the ignorance and folly of those who,
like the nations of old, are still expecting to witness the time when these
beasts will feed together in one pasture! Such is their low estate. Methinks,
never have their lips touched the cup of understanding, neither have their
feet trodden the path of justice. Besides, of what profit would it be to the
world were such a thing to take place? How well hath He spoken concerning
them: "Hearts have they, with which they understand not, and eyes have they
with which they see not!" [Qur’an 7:178.]
Consider how with this one verse which hath descended from the heaven of the
Will of God, the world and all that is therein have been brought to a
reckoning with Him. Whosoever acknowledged His truth and turned unto Him, his
good works outweighed his misdeeds, and all his sins were remitted and
forgiven. Thereby is the truth of these words concerning Him made manifest:
"Swift is He in reckoning." Thus God turneth iniquity into righteousness, were
ye to explore the realms of divine knowledge, and fathom the mysteries of His
wisdom. In like manner, whosoever partook of the cup of love, obtained his
portion of the ocean of eternal grace and of the showers of everlasting mercy,
and entered into the life of faith—the heavenly and everlasting life. But he
that turned away from that cup was condemned to eternal death. By the terms
"life" and "death," spoken of in the scriptures, is intended the life of faith
and the death of unbelief. The generality of the people, owing to their
failure to grasp the meaning of these words, rejected and despised the person
of the Manifestation, deprived themselves of the light of His divine guidance,
and refused to follow the example of that immortal Beauty.
When the light of Qur’anic Revelation was kindled within the chamber of
Muhammad’s holy heart, He passed upon the people the verdict of the Last Day,
the verdict of resurrection, of judgment, of life, and of death. Thereupon the
standards of revolt were hoisted, and the doors of derision opened. Thus hath
He, the Spirit of God, recorded, as spoken by the infidels: "And if thou
shouldst say, ‘After death ye shall surely be raised again,’ the infidels will
certainly exclaim, ‘This is nothing but manifest sorcery.’" [Qur’an 11:7.]
Again He speaketh: "If ever thou dost marvel, marvellous surely is their
saying, ‘What! When we have become dust, shall we be restored in a new
creation?’" [Qur’an 13:5.] Thus, in another passage, He wrathfully exclaimeth:
"Are We wearied out with the first creation? Yet are they in doubt with regard
to a new creation!" [Qur’an 50:15.]
As the commentators of the Qur’an and they that follow the letter thereof
misapprehended the inner meaning of the words of God and failed to grasp their
essential purpose, they sought to demonstrate that, according to the rules of
grammar, whenever the term "idha" (meaning "if" or "when") precedeth the past
tense, it invariably hath reference to the future. Later, they were sore
perplexed in attempting to explain those verses of the Book wherein that term
did not actually occur. Even as He hath revealed: "And there was a blast on
the trumpet,--lo! it is the threatened Day!
And every soul is summoned to a reckoning,--with him an impeller and a
witness." [Qur’an 50:20.] In explaining this and similar verses, they have in
some cases argued that the term "idha" is implied. In other instances, they
have idly contended that whereas the Day of Judgment is inevitable, it hath
therefore been referred to as an event not of the future but of the past. How
vain their sophistry! How grievous their blindness! They refuse to recognize
the trumpet-blast which so explicitly in this text was sounded through the
revelation of Muhammad. They deprive themselves of the regenerating Spirit of
God that breathed into it, and foolishly expect to hear the trumpet-sound of
the Seraph of God who is but one of His servants! Hath not the Seraph himself,
the angel of the Judgment Day, and his like been ordained by Muhammad’s own
utterance? Say:
What! Will ye give that which is for your good in exchange for that which is
evil? Wretched is that which ye have falsely exchanged! Surely ye are a
people, evil, in grievous loss.
Nay, by "trumpet" is meant the trumpet-call of Muhammad’s Revelation, which
was sounded in the heart of the universe, and by "resurrection" is meant His
own rise to proclaim the Cause of God.
He bade the erring and wayward arise and speed out of the sepulchres of their
bodies, arrayed them with the beauteous robe of faith, and quickened them with
the breath of a new and wondrous life. Thus at the hour when Muhammad, that
divine Beauty, purposed to unveil one of the mysteries hidden in the symbolic
terms "resurrection," "judgment," "paradise," and "hell," Gabriel, the Voice
of Inspiration, was heard saying: "Erelong will they wag their heads at Thee,
and say, ‘When shall this be?’ Say: ‘Perchance it is nigh.’" [Qur’an 17:51.]
The implications of this verse alone suffice the peoples of the world, were
they to ponder it in their hearts.
Gracious God! How far have that people strayed from the way of God! Although
the Day of Resurrection was ushered in through the Revelation of Muhammad,
although His light and tokens had encompassed the earth and all that is
therein, yet that people derided Him, gave themselves up to those idols which
the divines of that age, in their vain and idle fancy, had conceived, and
deprived themselves of the light of heavenly grace and of the showers of
divine mercy. Yea, the abject beetle can never scent the fragrance of
holiness, and the bat of darkness can never face the splendour of the sun.
Such things have come to pass in the days of every Manifestation of God. Even
as Jesus said:
"Ye must be born again." [John 3:7.] Again He saith: "Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That which
is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit." [John 3:5-6.] The purport of these words is that whosoever in every
dispensation is born of the Spirit and is quickened by the breath of the
Manifestation of Holiness, he verily is of those that have attained unto
"life" and "resurrection" and have entered into the "paradise" of the love of
God. And whosoever is not of them, is condemned to "death" and "deprivation,"
to the "fire" of unbelief, and to the "wrath" of God. In all the scriptures,
the books and chronicles, the sentence of death, of fire, of blindness, of
want of understanding and hearing, hath been pronounced against those whose
lips have tasted not the ethereal cup of true knowledge, and whose hearts have
been deprived of the grace of the holy Spirit in their day.
Even as it hath been previously recorded: "Hearts have they with which they
understand not." [Qur’an 7:178.]
In another passage of the Gospel it is written: "And it came to pass that on a
certain day the father of one of the disciples of Jesus had died. That
disciple reporting the death of his father unto Jesus, asked for leave to go
and bury him. Whereupon, Jesus, that Essence of Detachment, answered and said:
"Let the dead bury their dead." [Luke 9:60.]
In like manner, two of the people of Kufih went to Ali, the Commander of the
Faithful. One owned a house and wished to sell it; the other was to be the
purchaser. They had agreed that this transaction should be effected and the
contract be written with the knowledge of Ali. He, the exponent of the law of
God, addressing the scribe, said:
"Write thou: ‘A dead man hath bought from another dead man a house. That house
is bounded by four limits. One extendeth toward the tomb, the other to the
vault of the grave, the third to the Sirat, the fourth to either Paradise or
hell.’" Reflect, had these two souls been quickened by the trumpet-call of
Ali, had they risen from the grave of error by the power of his love, the
judgment of death would certainly not have been pronounced against them.
In every age and century, the purpose of the Prophets of God and their chosen
ones hath been no other but to affirm the spiritual significance of the terms
"life," "resurrection," and "judgment." If one will ponder but for a while
this utterance of Ali in his heart, one will surely discover all mysteries
hidden in the terms "grave," "tomb," "sirat," "paradise" and "hell." But oh!
how strange and pitiful! Behold, all the people are imprisoned within the tomb
of self, and lie buried beneath the nethermost depths of worldly desire! Wert
thou to attain to but a dewdrop of the crystal waters of divine knowledge,
thou wouldst readily realize that true life is not the life of the flesh but
the life of the spirit. For the life of the flesh is common to both men and
animals, whereas the life of the spirit is possessed only by the pure in heart
who have quaffed from the ocean of faith and partaken of the fruit of
certitude. This life knoweth no death, and this existence is crowned by
immortality. Even as it hath been said: "He who is a true believer liveth both
in this world and in the world to come."
If by "life" be meant this earthly life, it is evident that death must needs
overtake it.
Similarly, the records of all the scriptures bear witness to this lofty truth
and this most exalted word. Moreover, this verse of the Qur’an, revealed
concerning Hamzih, the "Prince of Martyrs," [Title of the uncle of Muhammad.]
and Abu-Jahl, is a luminous evidence and sure testimony of the truth of Our
saying: "Shall the dead, whom We have quickened, and for whom We have ordained
a light whereby he may walk among men, be like him, whose likeness is in the
darkness, whence he will not come forth?" [Qur’an 6:122.] This verse descended
from the heaven of the Primal Will at a time when Hamzih had already been
invested with the sacred mantle of faith, and Abu-Jahl had waxed relentless in
his opposition and unbelief. From the Wellspring of omnipotence and the Source
of eternal holiness, there came the judgment that conferred everlasting life
upon Hamzih, and condemned Abu-Jahl to eternal damnation.
This was the signal that caused the fires of unbelief to glow with the hottest
flame in the heart of the infidels, and provoked them openly to repudiate His
truth. They loudly clamoured: "When did Hamzih die? When was he risen? At what
hour was such a life conferred upon him?" As they understood not the
significance of these noble sayings, nor sought enlightenment from the
recognized expounders of the Faith, that these might confer a sprinkling of
the Kawthar of divine knowledge upon them, therefore such fires of mischief
were kindled amongst men.
Thou dost witness today how, notwithstanding the radiant splendour of the Sun
of divine knowledge, all the people, whether high or low, have clung to the
ways of those abject manifestations of the Prince of Darkness. They
continually appeal to them for aid in unraveling the intricacies of their
Faith, and, owing to lack of knowledge, they make such replies as can in no
wise damage their fame and fortune. It is evident that these souls, vile and
miserable as the beetle itself, have had no portion of the musk-laden breeze
of eternity, and have never entered the Ridvan of heavenly delight.
How, therefore, can they impart unto others the imperishable fragrance of
holiness? Such is their way, and such will it remain for ever. Only those will
attain to the knowledge of the Word of God that have turned unto Him, and
repudiated the manifestations of Satan. Thus God hath reaffirmed the law of
the day of His Revelation, and inscribed it with the pen of power upon the
mystic Tablet hidden beneath the veil of celestial glory. Wert thou to heed
these words, wert thou to ponder their outward and inner meaning in thy heart,
thou wouldst seize the significance of all the abstruse problems which, in
this day, have become insuperable barriers between men and the knowledge of
the Day of Judgment. Then wilt thou have no more questions to perplex thee. We
fain would hope that, God willing, thou wilt not return, deprived and still
athirst, from the shores of the ocean of divine mercy, nor come back destitute
from the imperishable Sanctuary of thy heart’s desire. Let it now be seen what
thy search and endeavours will achieve.
To resume: Our purpose in setting forth these truths hath been to demonstrate
the sovereignty of Him Who is the King of kings. Be fair: Is this sovereignty
which, through the utterance of one Word, hath manifested such pervading
influence, ascendancy, and awful majesty, is this sovereignty superior, or is
the worldly dominion of these kings of the earth who, despite their solicitude
for their subjects and their help of the poor, are assured only of an outward
and fleeting allegiance, while in the hearts of men they inspire neither
affection nor respect? Hath not that sovereignty, through the potency of one
word, subdued, quickened, and revitalized the whole world? What! Can the lowly
dust compare with Him Who is the Lord of Lords? What tongue dare utter the
immensity of difference that lieth between them? Nay, all comparison falleth
short in attaining the hallowed sanctuary of His sovereignty. Were man to
reflect, he would surely perceive that even the servant of His threshold
ruleth over all created things! This hath already been witnessed, and will in
future be made manifest.
This is but one of the meanings of the spiritual sovereignty which We have set
forth in accordance with the capacity and receptiveness of the people. For He,
the Mover of all beings, that glorified Countenance, is the source of such
potencies as neither this wronged One can reveal, nor this unworthy people
comprehend. Immensely exalted is He above men’s praise of His sovereignty;
glorified is He beyond that which they attribute unto Him!
And now, ponder this in thine heart: Were sovereignty to mean earthly
sovereignty and worldly dominion, were it to imply the subjection and external
allegiance of all the peoples and kindreds of the earth—whereby His loved ones
should be exalted and be made to live in peace, and His enemies be abased and
tormented—such form of sovereignty would not be true of God Himself, the
Source of all dominion, Whose majesty and power all things testify. For, dost
thou not witness how the generality of mankind is under the sway of His
enemies? Have they not all turned away from the path of His good-pleasure?
Have they not done that which He hath forbidden, and left undone, nay
repudiated and opposed, those things which He hath commanded? Have not His
friends ever been the victims of the tyranny of His foes? All these things are
more obvious than even the splendour of the noon-tide sun.
Know, therefore, O questioning seeker, that earthly sovereignty is of no
worth, nor will it ever be, in the eyes of God and His chosen Ones. Moreover,
if ascendency and dominion be interpreted to mean earthly supremacy and
temporal power, how impossible will it be for thee to explain these verses:
"And verily Our host shall conquer." [Qur’an 37:173.] "Fain would they put out
God’s light with their mouths: But God hath willed to perfect His light,
albeit the infidels abhor it." [Qur’an 9:33.] "He is the Dominant, above all
things." Similarly, most of the Qur’an testifieth to this truth.
Were the idle contention of these foolish and despicable souls to be true,
they would have none other alternative than to reject all these holy
utterances and heavenly allusions. For no warrior could be found on earth more
excellent and nearer to God than Husayn, son of Ali, so peerless and
incomparable was he. "There was none to equal or to match him in the world."
Yet, thou must have heard what befell him. "God’s malison on the head of the
people of tyranny!" [Qur’an 11:18.]
Were the verse "And verily Our host shall conquer" to be literally
interpreted, it is evident that it would in no wise be applicable to the
chosen Ones of God and His hosts, inasmuch as Husayn, whose heroism was
manifest as the sun, crushed and subjugated, quaffed at last the cup of
martyrdom in Karbila, the land of Taff. Similarly, the sacred verse "Fain
would they put out God’s light with their mouths: But God hath willed to
perfect His light, albeit the infidels abhor it." Were it to be literally
interpreted it would never correspond with the truth. For in every age the
light of God hath, to outward seeming, been quenched by the peoples of the
earth, and the Lamps of God extinguished by them. How then could the
ascendancy of the sovereignty of these Lamps be explained? What could the
potency of God’s will to "perfect His light" signify? As hath already been
witnessed, so great was the enmity of the infidels, that none of these divine
Luminaries ever found a place for shelter, or tasted of the cup of
tranquillity. So heavily were they oppressed, that the least of men inflicted
upon these Essences of being whatsoever he listed. These sufferings have been
observed and measured by the people. How, therefore, can such people be
capable of understanding and expounding these words of God, these verses of
everlasting glory?
But the purpose of these verses is not what they have imagined. Nay, the terms
"ascendancy," "power," and "authority" imply a totally different station and
meaning. For instance, consider the pervading power of those drops of the
blood of Husayn which besprinkled the earth. What ascendancy and influence
hath the dust itself, through the sacredness and potency of that blood,
exercised over the bodies and souls of men! So much so, that he who sought
deliverance from his ills, was healed by touching the dust of that holy
ground, and whosoever, wishing to protect his property, treasured with
absolute faith and understanding, a little of that holy earth within his
house, safeguarded all his possessions. These are the outward manifestations
of its potency. And were We to recount its hidden virtues they would assuredly
say: "He verily hath considered the dust to be the Lord of Lords, and hath
utterly forsaken the Faith of God."
Furthermore, call to mind the shameful circumstances that have attended the
martyrdom of Husayn.
Reflect upon his loneliness, how, to outer seeming, none could be found to aid
him, none to take up his body and bury it. And yet, behold how numerous, in
this day, are those who from the uttermost corners of the earth don the garb
of pilgrimage, seeking the site of his martyrdom, that there they may lay
their heads upon the threshold of his shrine! Such is the ascendancy and power
of God! Such is the glory of His dominion and majesty!
Think not that because these things have come to pass after Husayn’s
martyrdom, therefore all this glory hath been of no profit unto him. For that
holy soul is immortal, liveth the life of God, and abideth within the retreats
of celestial glory upon the Sadrih of heavenly reunion. These Essences of
being are the shining Exemplars of sacrifice. They have offered, and will
continue to offer up their lives, their substance, their souls, their spirit,
their all, in the path of the Well-Beloved. By them, no station, however
exalted, could be more dearly cherished. For lovers have no desire but the
good-pleasure of their Beloved, and have no aim except reunion with Him.
Should We wish to impart unto thee a glimmer of the mysteries of Husayn’s
martyrdom, and reveal unto thee the fruits thereof, these pages could never
suffice, nor exhaust their meaning. Our hope is that, God willing, the breeze
of mercy may blow, and the divine Springtime clothe the tree of being with the
robe of a new life; so that we may discover the mysteries of divine Wisdom,
and, through His providence, be made independent of the knowledge of all
things. We have, as yet, descried none but a handful of souls, destitute of
all renown, who have attained unto this station. Let the future disclose what
the Judgment of God will ordain, and the Tabernacle of His decree reveal. In
such wise We recount unto thee the wonders of the Cause of God, and pour out
into thine ears the strains of heavenly melody, that haply thou mayest attain
unto the station of true knowledge, and partake of the fruit thereof.
Therefore, know thou of a certainty that these Luminaries of heavenly majesty,
though their dwelling be in the dust, yet their true habitation is the seat of
glory in the realms above. Though bereft of all earthly possessions, yet they
soar in the realms of immeasurable riches. And whilst sore tried in the grip
of the enemy, they are seated on the right hand of power and celestial
dominion. Amidst the darkness of their abasement there shineth upon them the
light of unfading glory, and upon their helplessness are showered the tokens
of an invincible sovereignty.
Thus Jesus, Son of Mary, whilst seated one day and speaking in the strain of
the Holy Spirit, uttered words such as these: "O people! My food is the grass
of the field, wherewith I satisfy my hunger. My bed is the dust, my lamp in
the night the light of the moon, and my steed my own feet. Behold, who on
earth is richer than I?" By the righteousness of God! Thousands of treasures
circle round this poverty, and a myriad kingdoms of glory yearn for such
abasement! Shouldst thou attain to a drop of the ocean of the inner meaning of
these words, thou wouldst surely forsake the world and all that is therein,
and, as the Phoenix wouldst consume thyself in the flames of the undying Fire.
In like manner, it is related that on a certain day, one of the companions of
Sadiq complained of his poverty before him. Whereupon, Sadiq, that immortal
beauty, made reply: "Verily thou art rich, and hast drunk the draught of
wealth." That poverty-stricken soul was perplexed at the words uttered by that
luminous countenance, and said:
"Where are my riches, I who stand in need of a single coin?" Sadiq thereupon
observed: "Dost thou not possess our love?" He replied: "Yea, I possess it, O
thou scion of the Prophet of God!" And Sadiq asked him saying: "Exchangest
thou this love for one thousand dinars?" He answered:
"Nay, never will I exchange it, though the world and all that is therein be
given me!" Then Sadiq remarked: "How can he who possesses such a treasure be
called poor?"
This poverty and these riches, this abasement and glory, this dominion, power,
and the like, upon which the eyes and hearts of these vain and foolish souls
are set,--all these things fade into utter nothingness in that Court! Even as
He hath said: "O men! Ye are but paupers in need of God; but God is the Rich,
the Self-Sufficing." [Qur’an 35:15.] By ‘riches’ therefore is meant
independence of all else but God, and by ‘poverty’ the lack of things that are
of God.
Similarly, call thou to mind the day when the Jews, who had surrounded Jesus,
Son of Mary, were pressing Him to confess His claim of being the Messiah and
Prophet of God, so that they might declare Him an infidel and sentence Him to
death. Then, they led Him away, He Who was the Day-star of the heaven of
divine Revelation, unto Pilate and Caiaphas, who was the leading divine of
that age. The chief priests were all assembled in the palace, also a multitude
of people who had gathered to witness His sufferings, to deride and injure
Him. Though they repeatedly questioned Him, hoping that He would confess His
claim, yet Jesus held His peace and spake not. Finally, an accursed of God
arose and, approaching Jesus, adjured Him saying: "Didst thou not claim to be
the Divine Messiah? Didst thou not say, ‘I am the King of Kings, My word is
the Word of God, and I am the breaker of the Sabbath day?’" Thereupon Jesus
lifted up His head and said: "Beholdest thou not the Son of Man sitting on the
right hand of power and might?" These were His words, and yet consider how to
outward seeming He was devoid of all power except that inner power which was
of God and which had encompassed all that is in heaven and on earth. How can I
relate all that befell Him after He spoke these words? How shall I describe
their heinous behaviour towards Him? They at last heaped on His blessed Person
such woes that He took His flight unto the fourth Heaven.
It is also recorded in the Gospel according to St. Luke, that on a certain day
Jesus passed by a Jew who was sick of the palsy, and lay upon a couch. When
the Jew saw Him, he recognized Him, and cried out for His help. Jesus said
unto him: "Arise from thy bed; thy sins are forgiven thee." Certain of the
Jews, standing by, protested saying: "Who can forgive sins, but God alone?"
And immediately He perceived their thoughts, Jesus answering said unto them:
"Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, arise, and take up thy
bed, and walk; or to say, thy sins are forgiven thee? that ye may know that
the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins." [Cf. Luke 5:18-26.] This
is the real sovereignty, and such is the power of God’s chosen Ones! All these
things which We have repeatedly mentioned, and the details which We have cited
from divers sources, have no other purpose but to enable thee to grasp the
meaning of the allusions in the utterances of the chosen Ones of God, lest
certain of these utterances cause thy feet to falter and thy heart to be
dismayed.
Thus with steadfast steps we may tread the Path of certitude, that perchance
the breeze that bloweth from the meads of the good-pleasure of God may waft
upon us the sweet savours of divine acceptance, and cause us, vanishing
mortals that we are, to attain unto the Kingdom of everlasting glory. Then
wilt thou comprehend the inner meaning of sovereignty and the like, spoken of
in the traditions and scriptures. Furthermore, it is already evident and known
unto thee that those things to which the Jews and the Christians have clung,
and the cavilings which they heaped upon the Beauty of Muhammad, the same have
in this day been upheld by the people of the Qur’an, and been witnessed in
their denunciations of the "Point of the Bayan"—may the souls of all that
dwell within the kingdom of divine Revelations be a sacrifice unto Him! Behold
their folly: they utter the self-same words, uttered by the Jews of old, and
know it not! How well and true are His words concerning them: "Leave them to
entertain themselves with their cavilings!" [Qur’an 6:91.] "As Thou livest, O
Muhammad! they are seized by the frenzy of their vain fancies." [Qur’an
15:72.]
When the Unseen, the Eternal, the divine Essence, caused the Day-star of
Muhammad to rise above the horizon of knowledge, among the cavils which the
Jewish divines raised against Him was that after Moses no Prophet should be
sent of God.
Yea, mention hath been made in the scriptures of a Soul Who must needs be made
manifest and Who will advance the Faith, and promote the interests of the
people, of Moses, so that the Law of the Mosaic Dispensation may encompass the
whole earth. Thus hath the King of eternal glory referred in His Book to the
words uttered by those wanderers in the vale of remoteness and error: "‘The
hand of God,’ say the Jews, ‘is chained up.’
Chained up be their own hands! And for that which they have said, they were
accursed. Nay, outstretched are both His hands!" [Qur’an 5:64.] "The hand of
God is above their hands." [Qur’an 48:10.]
Although the commentators of the Qur’an have related in divers manners the
circumstances attending the revelation of this verse, yet thou shouldst
endeavour to apprehend the purpose thereof. He saith: How false is that which
the Jews have imagined!
How can the hand of Him Who is the King in truth, Who caused the countenance
of Moses to be made manifest, and conferred upon Him the robe of
Prophethood—how can the hand of such a One be chained and fettered? How can He
be conceived as powerless to raise up yet another Messenger after Moses?
Behold the absurdity of their saying; how far it hath strayed from the path of
knowledge and understanding! Observe how in this day also, all these people
have occupied themselves with such foolish absurdities. For over a thousand
years they have been reciting this verse, and unwittingly pronouncing their
censure against the Jews, utterly unaware that they themselves, openly and
privily, are voicing the sentiments and belief of the Jewish people! Thou art
surely aware of their idle contention, that all Revelation is ended, that the
portals of Divine mercy are closed, that from the day-springs of eternal
holiness no sun shall rise again, that the Ocean of everlasting bounty is
forever stilled, and that out of the Tabernacle of ancient glory the
Messengers of God have ceased to be made manifest. Such is the measure of the
understanding of these small-minded, contemptible people. These people have
imagined that the flow of God’s all-encompassing grace and plenteous mercies,
the cessation of which no mind can contemplate, has been halted. From every
side they have risen and girded up the loins of tyranny, and exerted the
utmost endeavour to quench with the bitter waters of their vain fancy the
flame of God’s burning Bush, oblivious that the globe of power shall within
its own mighty stronghold protect the Lamp of God. The utter destitution into
which this people have fallen doth surely suffice them, inasmuch as they have
been deprived of the recognition of the essential Purpose and the knowledge of
the Mystery and Substance of the Cause of God. For the highest and most
excelling grace bestowed upon men is the grace of "attaining unto the Presence
of God" and of His recognition, which has been promised unto all people. This
is the utmost degree of grace vouchsafed unto man by the All-Bountiful, the
Ancient of Days, and the fulness of His absolute bounty upon His creatures. Of
this grace and bounty none of this people hath partaken, neither have they
been honoured with this most exalted distinction. How numerous are those
revealed verses which explicitly bear witness unto this most weighty truth and
exalted Theme! And yet they have rejected it, and, after their own desire,
misconstrued its meaning. Even as He hath revealed: "As for those who believe
not in the signs of God, or that they shall ever meet Him, these of My mercy
shall despair, and for them doth a grievous chastisement await." [Qur’an
29:23.] Also He saith: "They who bear in mind that they shall attain unto the
Presence of their Lord, and that unto Him all they return." [Qur’an 2:46.]
Also in another instance He saith: "They who held it as certain that they must
meet God, said, ‘How oft, by God’s will, hath a small host vanquished a
numerous host!’" [Qur’an 2:249.] In yet another instance He revealeth: "Let
him then who hopeth to attain the presence of his Lord work a righteous work."
[Qur’an 18:111.] And also He saith: "He ordereth all things. He maketh His
signs clear, that ye may have firm faith in attaining the presence of your
Lord." [Qur’an 13:2.]
This people have repudiated all these verses, that unmistakably testify to the
reality of "attainment unto the Divine Presence." No theme hath been more
emphatically asserted in the holy scriptures. Notwithstanding, they have
deprived themselves of this lofty and most exalted rank, this supreme and
glorious station. Some have contended that by "attainment unto the Divine
Presence" is meant the "Revelation" of God in the Day of Resurrection.
Should they assert that the "Revelation" of God signifieth a "Universal
Revelation," it is clear and evident that such revelation already existeth in
all things. The truth of this We have already established, inasmuch as We have
demonstrated that all things are the recipients and revealers of the
splendours of that ideal King, and that the signs of the revelation of that
Sun, the Source of all splendour, exist and are manifest in the mirrors of
beings. Nay, were man to gaze with the eye of divine and spiritual
discernment, he will readily recognize that nothing whatsoever can exist
without the revelation of the splendour of God, the ideal King. Consider how
all created things eloquently testify to the revelation of that inner Light
within them. Behold how within all things the portals of the Ridvan of God are
opened, that seekers may attain the cities of understanding and wisdom, and
enter the gardens of knowledge and power. Within every garden they will behold
the mystic bride of inner meaning enshrined within the chambers of utterance
in the utmost grace and fullest adornment. Most of the verses of the Qur’an
indicate, and bear witness to, this spiritual theme.
The verse: "Neither is there aught which doth not celebrate His praise"
[Qur’an 17:44] is eloquent testimony thereto; and "We noted all things and
wrote them down," [Qur’an 78:29] a faithful witness thereof. Now, if by
"attainment unto the Presence of God" is meant attainment unto the knowledge
of such revelation, it is evident that all men have already attained unto the
presence of the unchangeable Countenance of that peerless King. Why, then,
restrict such revelation to the Day of Resurrection?
And were they to maintain that by "divine Presence" is meant the "Specific
Revelation of God," expressed by certain Sufis as the "Most Holy Outpouring,"
if this be in the Essence Itself, it is evident that it hath been eternally in
the divine Knowledge. Assuming the truth of this hypothesis, "attainment unto
the divine Presence" is in this sense obviously possible to no one, inasmuch
as this revelation is confined to the innermost Essence, unto which no man can
attain. "The way is barred, and all seeking rejected." The minds of the
favourites of heaven, however high they soar, can never attain this station,
how much less the understanding of obscured and limited minds.
And were they to say that by "divine Presence" is meant the "Secondary
Revelation of God," interpreted as the "Holy Outpouring," this is admittedly
applicable to the world of creation, that is, in the realm of the primal and
original manifestation of God. Such revelation is confined to His Prophets and
chosen Ones, inasmuch as none mightier than they hath come to exist in the
world of being. This truth all recognize, and bear witness thereto. These
Prophets and chosen Ones of God are the recipients and revealers of all the
unchangeable attributes and names of God. They are the mirrors that truly and
faithfully reflect the light of God. Whatsoever is applicable to them is in
reality applicable to God, Himself, Who is both the Visible and the Invisible.
The knowledge of Him, Who is the Origin of all things, and attainment unto
Him, are impossible save through knowledge of, and attainment unto, these
luminous Beings who proceed from the Sun of Truth.
By attaining, therefore, to the presence of these holy Luminaries, the
"Presence of God" Himself is attained. From their knowledge, the knowledge of
God is revealed, and from the light of their countenance, the splendour of the
Face of God is made manifest. Through the manifold attributes of these
Essences of Detachment, Who are both the first and the last, the seen and the
hidden, it is made evident that He Who is the Sun of Truth is "the First and
the Last, the Seen, and the Hidden." [Qur’an 57:3.] Likewise the other lofty
names and exalted attributes of God. Therefore, whosoever, and in whatever
Dispensation, hath recognized and attained unto the presence of these
glorious, these resplendent and most excellent Luminaries, hath verily
attained unto the "Presence of God" Himself, and entered the city of eternal
and immortal life. Attainment unto such presence is possible only in the Day
of Resurrection, which is the Day of the rise of God Himself through His all-
embracing Revelation.
This is the meaning of the "Day of Resurrection," spoken of in all the
scriptures, and announced unto all people. Reflect, can a more precious, a
mightier, and more glorious day than this be conceived, so that man should
willingly forego its grace, and deprive himself of its bounties, which like
unto vernal showers are raining from the heaven of mercy upon all mankind?
Having thus conclusively demonstrated that no day is greater than this Day,
and no revelation more glorious than this Revelation, and having set forth all
these weighty and infallible proofs which no understanding mind can question,
and no man of learning overlook, how can man possibly, through the idle
contention of the people of doubt and fancy, deprive himself of such a
bountiful grace? Have they not heard the well-known tradition: "When the Qa’im
riseth, that day is the Day of Resurrection?"
In like manner, the Imams, those unquenchable lights of divine guidance, have
interpreted the verse: "What can such expect but that God should come down to
them overshadowed with clouds," [Qur’an 2:210.] a sign which they have
unquestionably regarded as one of the features of the Day of Resurrection as
referring to Qa’im and His manifestation.
Strive, therefore, O my brother, to grasp the meaning of "Resurrection," and
cleanse thine ears from the idle sayings of these rejected people. Shouldst
thou step into the realm of complete detachment, thou wilt readily testify
that no day is mightier than this Day, and that no resurrection more awful
than this Resurrection can ever be conceived.
One righteous work performed in this Day, equalleth all the virtuous acts
which for myriads of centuries men have practised—nay, We ask forgiveness of
God for such a comparison! For verily the reward which such a deed deserveth
is immensely beyond and above the estimate of men. Inasmuch as these
undiscerning and wretched souls have failed to apprehend the true meaning of
"Resurrection" and of the "attainment unto the divine Presence," they
therefore have remained utterly deprived of the grace thereof. Although the
sole and fundamental purpose of all learning, and the toil and labour thereof,
is attainment unto, and the recognition of, this station, yet they are all
immersed in the pursuit of their material studies. They deny themselves every
moment of leisure, and utterly ignore Him, Who is the Essence of all learning,
and the one Object of their quest! Methinks, their lips have never touched the
cup of divine Knowledge, nor do they seem to have attained even a dewdrop of
the showers of heavenly grace.
Consider, how can he that faileth in the day of God’s Revelation to attain
unto the grace of the "Divine Presence" and to recognize His Manifestation, be
justly called learned, though he may have spent aeons in the pursuit of
knowledge, and acquired all the limited and material learning of men? It is
surely evident that he can in no wise be regarded as possessed of true
knowledge. Whereas, the most unlettered of all men, if he be honoured with
this supreme distinction, he verily is accounted as one of those divinely-
learned men whose knowledge is of God; for such a man hath attained the acme
of knowledge, and hath reached the furthermost summit of learning.
This station is also one of the signs of the Day of Revelation; even as it is
said: "The abased amongst you, He shall exalt; and they that are exalted, He
shall abase." And likewise, He hath revealed in the Qur’an: "And We desire to
show favour to those who were brought low in the land, and to make them
spiritual leaders among men, and to make of them Our heirs." [Qur’an 28:5.] It
hath been witnessed in this day how many of the divines, owing to their
rejection of the Truth, have fallen into, and abide within, the uttermost
depths of ignorance, and whose names have been effaced from the scroll of the
glorious and learned. And how many of the ignorant who, by reason of their
acceptance of the Faith, have soared aloft and attained the high summit of
knowledge, and whose names have been inscribed by the Pen of Power upon the
Tablet of divine Knowledge. Thus, "What He pleaseth will God abrogate or
confirm: for with Him is the Source of Revelation." [Qur’an 13:41.] Therefore,
it hath been said: "To seek evidence, when the Proof hath been established is
but an unseemly act, and to be busied with the pursuit of knowledge when the
Object of all learning hath been attained is truly blameworthy." Say O people
of the earth! Behold this flamelike Youth that speedeth across the limitless
profound of the Spirit, heralding unto you the tidings: "Lo: the Lamp of God
is shining," and summoning you to heed His Cause which, though hidden beneath
the veils of ancient splendour, shineth in the land of Iraq above the day-
spring of eternal holiness.
O my friend, were the bird of thy mind to explore the heavens of the
Revelation of the Qur’an, were it to contemplate the realm of divine knowledge
unfolded therein, thou wouldst assuredly find unnumbered doors of knowledge
set open before thee. Thou wouldst certainly recognize that all these things
which have in this day hindered this people from attaining the shores of the
ocean of eternal grace, the same things in the Muhammadan Dispensation
prevented the people of that age from recognizing that divine Luminary, and
from testifying to His truth. Thou wilt also apprehend the mysteries of
"return" and "revelation," and wilt securely abide within the loftiest
chambers of certitude and assurance.
And it came to pass that on a certain day a number of the opponents of that
peerless Beauty, those that had strayed far from God’s imperishable Sanctuary,
scornfully spoke these words unto Muhammad:
"Verily, God hath entered into a covenant with us that we are not to credit an
apostle until he present us a sacrifice which fire out of heaven shall
devour." [Qur’an 3:183.] The purport of this verse is that God hath covenanted
with them that they should not believe in any messenger unless he work the
miracle of Abel and Cain, that is, offer a sacrifice, and the fire from heaven
consume it; even as they had heard it recounted in the story of Abel, which
story is recorded in the scriptures. To this, Muhammad, answering, said:
"Already have Apostles before me come to you with sure testimonies, and with
that of which ye speak.
Wherefore slew ye them? Tell me, if ye are men of truth." [Qur’an 3:182.] And
now, be fair; How could those people living in the days of Muhammad have
existed, thousands of years before, in the age of Adam or other Prophets? Why
should Muhammad, that Essence of truthfulness, have charged the people of His
day with the murder of Abel or other Prophets? Thou hast none other
alternative except to regard Muhammad as an impostor or a fool—which God
forbid!--or to maintain that those people of wickedness were the self-same
people who in every age opposed and caviled at the Prophets and Messengers of
God, till they finally caused them all to suffer martyrdom.
Ponder this in thine heart, that the sweet gales of divine knowledge, blowing
from the meads of mercy, may waft upon thee the fragrance of the Beloved’s
utterance, and cause thy soul to attain the Ridvan of understanding. As the
wayward of every age have failed to fathom the deeper import of these weighty
and pregnant utterances, and imagined the answer of the Prophets of God to be
irrelevant to the questions they asked them, they therefore have attributed
ignorance and folly to those Essences of knowledge and understanding.
Likewise, Muhammad, in another verse, uttereth His protest against the people
of that age. He saith: "Although they had before prayed for victory over those
who believed not, yet when there came unto them, He of Whom they had
knowledge, they disbelieved in Him. The curse of God on the infidels!" [Qur’an
2:89.] Reflect how this verse also implieth that the people living in the days
of Muhammad were the same people who in the days of the Prophets of old
contended and fought in order to promote the Faith, and teach the Cause, of
God. And yet, how could the generations living at the time of Jesus and Moses,
and those who lived in the days of Muhammad, be regarded as being actually one
and the same people? Moreover, those whom they had formerly known were Moses,
the Revealer of the Pentateuch, and Jesus, the Author of the Gospel.
Notwithstanding, why did Muhammad say: "When He of Whom they had knowledge
came unto them"—that is Jesus or Moses—
"they disbelieved in Him?" Was not Muhammad to outward seeming called by a
different name?
Did He not come forth out of a different city? Did He not speak a different
language, and reveal a different Law? How then can the truth of this verse be
established, and its meaning be made clear?
Strive therefore to comprehend the meaning of "return" which hath been so
explicitly revealed in the Qur’an itself, and which none hath as yet
understood. What sayest thou? If thou sayest that Muhammad was the "return" of
the Prophets of old, as is witnessed by this verse, His Companions must
likewise be the "return" of the bygone Companions, even as the "return" of the
former people is clearly attested by the text of the above-mentioned verses.
And if thou deniest this, thou hast surely repudiated the truth of the Qur’an,
the surest testimony of God unto men. In like manner, endeavour to grasp the
significance of "return," "revelation," and "resurrection," as witnessed in
the days of the Manifestations of the divine Essence, that thou mayest behold
with thine own eyes the "return" of the holy souls into sanctified and
illumined bodies, and mayest wash away the dust of ignorance, and cleanse the
darkened self with the waters of mercy flowing from the Source of divine
Knowledge; that perchance thou mayest, through the power of God and the light
of divine guidance, distinguish the Morn of everlasting splendour from the
darksome night of error.
Furthermore, it is evident to thee that the Bearers of the trust of God are
made manifest unto the peoples of the earth as the Exponents of a new Cause
and the Bearers of a new Message. Inasmuch as these Birds of the Celestial
Throne are all sent down from the heaven of the Will of God, and as they all
arise to proclaim His irresistible Faith, they therefore are regarded as one
soul and the same person. For they all drink from the one Cup of the love of
God, and all partake of the fruit of the same Tree of Oneness. These
Manifestations of God have each a twofold station. One is the station of pure
abstraction and essential unity.
In this respect, if thou callest them all by one name, and dost ascribe to
them the same attribute, thou hast not erred from the truth. Even as He hath
revealed: "No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers!" [Qur’an
2:285.] For they one and all summon the people of the earth to acknowledge the
Unity of God, and herald unto them the Kawthar of an infinite grace and
bounty. They are all invested with the robe of Prophethood, and honoured with
the mantle of glory. Thus hath Muhammad, the Point of the Qur’an, revealed: "I
am all the Prophets." Likewise, He saith: "I am the first Adam, Noah, Moses,
and Jesus." Similar statements have been made by Ali. Sayings such as this,
which indicate the essential unity of those Exponents of Oneness, have also
emanated from the Channels of God’s immortal utterance, and the Treasuries of
the gems of divine knowledge, and have been recorded in the scriptures. These
Countenances are the recipients of the Divine Command, and the day-springs of
His Revelation. This Revelation is exalted above the veils of plurality and
the exigencies of number. Thus He saith:
"Our Cause is but one." [Qur’an 54:50.] Inasmuch as the Cause is one and the
same, the Exponents thereof also must needs be one and the same. Likewise, the
Imams of the Muhammadan Faith, those lamps of certitude, have said: "Muhammad
is our first, Muhammad our last, Muhammad our all."
It is clear and evident to thee that all the Prophets are the Temples of the
Cause of God, Who have appeared clothed in divers attire. If thou wilt observe
with discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold them all abiding in the same
tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering
the same speech, and proclaiming the same Faith. Such is the unity of those
Essences of being, those Luminaries of infinite and immeasurable splendour.
Wherefore, should one of these Manifestations of Holiness proclaim saying: "I
am the return of all the Prophets," He verily speaketh the truth. In like
manner, in every subsequent Revelation, the return of the former Revelation is
a fact, the truth of which is firmly established. Inasmuch as the return of
the Prophets of God, as attested by verses and traditions, hath been
conclusively demonstrated, the return of their chosen ones also is therefore
definitely proven.
This return is too manifest in itself to require any evidence or proof. For
instance, consider that among the Prophets was Noah. When He was invested with
the robe of Prophethood, and was moved by the Spirit of God to arise and
proclaim His Cause, whoever believed in Him and acknowledged His Faith, was
endowed with the grace of a new life. Of him it could be truly said that he
was reborn and revived, inasmuch as previous to his belief in God and his
acceptance of His Manifestation, he had set his affections on the things of
the world, such as attachment to earthly goods, to wife, children, food,
drink, and the like, so much so that in the day-time and in the night season
his one concern had been to amass riches and procure for himself the means of
enjoyment and pleasure.
Aside from these things, before his partaking of the reviving waters of faith,
he had been so wedded to the traditions of his forefathers, and so
passionately devoted to the observance of their customs and laws, that he
would have preferred to suffer death rather than violate one letter of those
superstitious forms and manners current amongst his people. Even as the people
have cried: "Verily we found our fathers with a faith, and verily, in their
footsteps we follow." [Qur’an 43:22.]
These same people, though wrapt in all these veils of limitation, and despite
the restraint of such observances, as soon as they drank the immortal draught
of faith, from the cup of certitude, at the hand of the Manifestation of the
All-Glorious, were so transformed that they would renounce for His sake their
kindred, their substance, their lives, their beliefs, yea, all else save God!
So overpowering was their yearning for God, so uplifting their transports of
ecstatic delight, that the world and all that is therein faded before their
eyes into nothingness. Have not this people exemplified the mysteries of
"rebirth" and "return"? Hath it not been witnessed that these same people, ere
they were endued with the new and wondrous grace of God, sought through
innumerable devices, to ensure the protection of their lives against
destruction? Would not a thorn fill them with terror, and the sight of a fox
put them to flight? But once having been honoured with God’s supreme
distinction, and having been vouchsafed His bountiful grace, they would, if
they were able, have freely offered up ten thousand lives in His path! Nay,
their blessed souls, contemptuous of the cage of their bodies, would yearn for
deliverance. A single warrior of that host would face and fight a multitude!
And yet, how could they, but for the transformation wrought in their lives, be
capable of manifesting such deeds which are contrary to the ways of men and
incompatible with their worldly desires?
It is evident that nothing short of this mystic transformation could cause
such spirit and behaviour, so utterly unlike their previous habits and
manners, to be made manifest in the world of being. For their agitation was
turned into peace, their doubt into certitude, their timidity into courage.
Such is the potency of the Divine Elixir, which, swift as the twinkling of an
eye, transmuteth the souls of men!
For instance, consider the substance of copper. Were it to be protected in its
own mine from becoming solidified, it would, within the space of seventy
years, attain to the state of gold. There are some, however, who maintain that
copper itself is gold, which by becoming solidified is in a diseased
condition, and hath not therefore reached its own state.
Be that as it may, the real elixir will, in one instant, cause the substance
of copper to attain the state of gold, and will traverse the seventy-year
stages in a single moment. Could this gold be called copper? Could it be
claimed that it hath not attained the state of gold, whilst the touch-stone is
at hand to assay it and distinguish it from copper?
Likewise, these souls, through the potency of the Divine Elixir, traverse, in
the twinkling of an eye, the world of dust and advance into the realm of
holiness; and with one step cover the earth of limitations and reach the
domain of the Placeless. It behooveth thee to exert thine utmost to attain
unto this Elixir which, in one fleeting breath, causeth the west of ignorance
to reach the east of knowledge, illuminates the darkness of night with the
resplendence of the morn, guideth the wanderer in the wilderness of doubt to
the well-spring of the Divine Presence and Fount of certitude, and conferreth
upon mortal souls the honour of acceptance into the Ridvan of immortality.
Now, could this gold be thought to be copper, these people could likewise be
thought to be the same as before they were endowed with faith.
O brother, behold how the inner mysteries of "rebirth," of "return," and of
"resurrection" have each, through these all-sufficing, these unanswerable, and
conclusive utterances, been unveiled and unravelled before thine eyes. God
grant that through His gracious and invisible assistance, thou mayest divest
thy body and soul of the old garment, and array thyself with the new and
imperishable attire.
Therefore, those who in every subsequent Dispensation preceded the rest of
mankind in embracing the Faith of God, who quaffed the clear waters of
knowledge at the hand of the divine Beauty, and attained the loftiest summits
of faith and certitude, these can be regarded, in name, in reality, in deeds,
in words, and in rank, as the "return" of those who in a former Dispensation
had achieved similar distinctions. For whatsoever the people of a former
Dispensation have manifested, the same hath been shown by the people of this
latter generation. Consider the rose: whether it blossometh in the East or in
the West, it is none the less a rose. For what mattereth in this respect is
not the outward shape and form of the rose, but rather the smell and fragrance
which it doth impart.
Purge thy sight, therefore, from all earthly limitations, that thou mayest
behold them all as the bearers of one Name, the exponents of one Cause, the
manifestations of one Self, and the revealers of one Truth, and that thou
mayest apprehend the mystic "return" of the Words of God as unfolded by these
utterances. Reflect for a while upon the behaviour of the companions of the
Muhammadan Dispensation. Consider how, through the reviving breath of
Muhammad, they were cleansed from the defilements of earthly vanities, were
delivered from selfish desires, and were detached from all else but Him.
Behold how they preceded all the peoples of the earth in attaining unto His
holy Presence—the Presence of God Himself—how they renounced the world and all
that is therein, and sacrificed freely and joyously their lives at the feet of
that Manifestation of the All-Glorious. And now, observe the "return" of the
self-same determination, the self-same constancy and renunciation, manifested
by the companions of the Point of the Bayan. [The Bab.] Thou hast witnessed
how these companions have, through the wonders of the grace of the Lord of
Lords, hoisted the standards of sublime renunciation upon the inaccessible
heights of glory. These Lights have proceeded from but one Source, and these
fruits are the fruits of one Tree. Thou canst discern neither difference nor
distinction among them. All this is by the grace of God! On whom He will, He
bestoweth His grace. Please God, that we avoid the land of denial, and advance
into the ocean of acceptance, so that we may perceive, with an eye purged from
all conflicting elements, the worlds of unity and diversity, of variation and
oneness, of limitation and detachment, and wing our flight unto the highest
and innermost sanctuary of the inner meaning of the Word of God.
From these statements therefore it hath been made evident and manifest that
should a Soul in the "End that knoweth no end" be made manifest, and arise to
proclaim and uphold a Cause which in "the Beginning that hath no beginning"
another Soul had proclaimed and upheld, it can be truly declared of Him Who is
the Last and of Him Who was the First that they are one and the same, inasmuch
as both are the Exponents of one and the same Cause. For this reason, hath the
Point of the Bayan—may the life of all else but Him be His sacrifice!--likened
the Manifestations of God unto the sun which, though it rise from the
"Beginning that hath no beginning" until the "End that knoweth no end," is
none the less the same sun. Now, wert thou to say, that this sun is the former
sun, thou speakest the truth; and if thou sayest that this sun is the "return"
of that sun, thou also speakest the truth. Likewise, from this statement it is
made evident that the term "last" is applicable to the "first," and the term
"first" applicable to the "last;" inasmuch as both the "first" and the "last"
have risen to proclaim one and the same Faith.
Notwithstanding the obviousness of this theme, in the eyes of those that have
quaffed the wine of knowledge and certitude, yet how many are those who,
through failure to understand its meaning, have allowed the term "Seal of the
Prophets" to obscure their understanding, and deprive them of the grace of all
His manifold bounties! Hath not Muhammad, Himself, declared: "I am all the
Prophets?" Hath He not said as We have already mentioned: "I am Adam, Noah,
Moses, and Jesus?" Why should Muhammad, that immortal Beauty, Who hath said:
"I am the first Adam" be incapable of saying also: "I am the last Adam"? For
even as He regarded Himself to be the "First of the Prophets"—that is Adam—in
like manner, the "Seal of the Prophets" is also applicable unto that Divine
Beauty. It is admittedly obvious that being the "First of the Prophets," He
likewise is their "Seal."
The mystery of this theme hath, in this Dispensation, been a sore test unto
all mankind. Behold, how many are those who, clinging unto these words, have
disbelieved Him Who is their true Revealer. What, We ask, could this people
presume the terms "first" and "last"—when referring to God—glorified be His
Name!--to mean? If they maintain that these terms bear reference to this
material universe, how could it be possible, when the visible order of things
is still manifestly existing? Nay, in this instance, by "first" is meant no
other than the "last" and by "last" no other than the "first."
Even as in the "Beginning that hath no beginnings" the term "last" is truly
applicable unto Him who is the Educator of the visible and of the invisible,
in like manner, are the terms "first" and "last" applicable unto His
Manifestations. They are at the same time the Exponents of both the "first"
and the "last." Whilst established upon the seat of the "first," they occupy
the throne of the "last." Were a discerning eye to be found, it will readily
perceive that the exponents of the "first" and the "last," of the "manifest"
and the "hidden," of the "beginning" and the "seal" are none other than these
holy Beings, these Essences of Detachment, these divine Souls. And wert thou
to soar in the holy realm of "God was alone, there was none else besides Him,"
thou wilt find in that Court all these names utterly non-existent and
completely forgotten. Then will thine eyes no longer be obscured by these
veils, these terms, and allusions.
How ethereal and lofty is this station, unto which even Gabriel, unshepherded,
can never attain, and the Bird of Heaven, unassisted, can never reach!
And, now, strive thou to comprehend the meaning of this saying of Ali, the
Commander of the Faithful: "Piercing the veils of glory, unaided." Among these
"veils of glory" are the divines and doctors living in the days of the
Manifestation of God, who, because of their want of discernment and their love
and eagerness for leadership, have failed to submit to the Cause of God, nay,
have even refused to incline their ears unto the divine Melody. "They have
thrust their fingers into their ears." [Qur’an 2:19.] And the people also,
utterly ignoring God and taking them for their masters, have placed themselves
unreservedly under the authority of these pompous and hypocritical leaders,
for they have no sight, no hearing, no heart, of their own to distinguish
truth from falsehood.
Notwithstanding the divinely-inspired admonitions of all the Prophets, the
Saints, and Chosen ones of God, enjoining the people to see with their own
eyes and hear with their own ears, they have disdainfully rejected their
counsels and have blindly followed, and will continue to follow, the leaders
of their Faith. Should a poor and obscure person, destitute of the attire of
men of learning, address them saying: "Follow ye, O people! the Messengers of
God," [Qur’an 36:20.] they would, greatly surprised at such a statement,
reply: "What! Meanest thou that all these divines, all these exponents of
learning, with all their authority, their pomp and pageantry, have erred, and
failed to distinguish truth from falsehood? Dost thou, and people like
thyself, pretend to have comprehended that which they have not understood?" If
numbers and excellence of apparel be regarded as the criterions of learning
and truth, the peoples of a bygone age, whom those of today have never
surpassed in numbers, magnificence and power, should certainly be accounted a
superior and worthier people.
It is clear and evident that whenever the Manifestations of Holiness were
revealed, the divines of their day have hindered the people from attaining
unto the way of truth. To this testify the records of all the scriptures and
heavenly books. Not one Prophet of God was made manifest Who did not fall a
victim to the relentless hate, to the denunciation, denial, and execration of
the clerics of His day! Woe unto them for the iniquities their hands have
formerly wrought! Woe unto them for that which they are now doing! What veils
of glory more grievous than these embodiments of error! By the righteousness
of God! to pierce such veils is the mightiest of all acts, and to rend them
asunder the most meritorious of all deeds! May God assist us and assist you, O
concourse of the Spirit! that perchance ye may in the time of His
Manifestation be graciously aided to perform such deeds, and may in His days
attain unto the Presence of God.
Furthermore, among the "veils of glory" are such terms as the "Seal of the
Prophets" and the like, the removal of which is a supreme achievement in the
sight of these base-born and erring souls. All, by reason of these mysterious
sayings, these grievous "veils of glory," have been hindered from beholding
the light of truth. Have they not heard the melody of that bird of Heaven,
[Imam Ali.] uttering this mystery: "A thousand Fatimihs I have espoused, all
of whom were the daughters of Muhammad, Son of Abdu’llah, the ‘Seal of the
Prophets?’" Behold, how many are the mysteries that lie as yet unravelled
within the tabernacle of the knowledge of God, and how numerous the gems of
His wisdom that are still concealed in His inviolable treasuries! Shouldest
thou ponder this in thine heart, thou wouldst realize that His handiwork
knoweth neither beginning nor end. The domain of His decree is too vast for
the tongue of mortals to describe, or for the bird of the human mind to
traverse; and the dispensations of His providence are too mysterious for the
mind of man to comprehend. His creation no end hath overtaken, and it hath
ever existed from the "Beginning that hath no beginning"; and the
Manifestations of His Beauty no beginning hath beheld, and they will continue
to the "End that knoweth no end." Ponder this utterance in thine heart, and
reflect how it is applicable unto all these holy Souls.
Likewise, strive thou to comprehend the meaning of the melody of that eternal
beauty, Husayn, son of Ali, who, addressing Salman, spoke words such as these:
"I was with a thousand Adams, the interval between each and the next Adam was
fifty thousand years, and to each one of these I declared the Successorship
conferred upon my father." He then recounteth certain details, until he saith:
"I have fought one thousand battles in the path of God, the least and most
insignificant of which was like the battle of Khaybar, in which battle my
father fought and contended against the infidels." Endeavour now to apprehend
from these two traditions the mysteries of "end," "return," and "creation
without beginning or end."
O my beloved! Immeasurably exalted is the celestial Melody above the strivings
of human ear to hear or mind to grasp its mystery! How can the helpless ant
step into the court of the All-Glorious? And yet, feeble souls, through lack
of understanding, reject these abstruse utterances, and question the truth of
such traditions. Nay, none can comprehend them save those that are possessed
of an understanding heart. Say, He is that End for Whom no end in all the
universe can be imagined, and for Whom no beginning in the world of creation
can be conceived. Behold, O concourse of the earth, the splendours of the End,
revealed in the Manifestations of the Beginning!
How strange! These people with one hand cling to those verses of the Qur’an
and those traditions of the people of certitude which they have found to
accord with their inclinations and interests, and with the other reject those
which are contrary to their selfish desires. "Believe ye then part of the
Book, and deny part?" [Qur’an 2:85.] How could ye judge that which ye
understand not? Even as the Lord of being hath in His unerring Book, after
speaking of the "Seal" in His exalted utterance: "Muhammad is the Apostle of
God and the Seal of the Prophets," [Qur’an 33:40.] hath revealed unto all
people the promise of "attainment unto the divine Presence." To this
attainment to the presence of the immortal King testify the verses of the
Book, some of which We have already mentioned. The one true God is My witness!
Nothing more exalted or more explicit than "attainment unto the divine
Presence" hath been revealed in the Qur’an. Well is it with him that hath
attained thereunto, in the day wherein most of the people, even as ye witness,
have turned away therefrom.
And yet, through the mystery of the former verse, they have turned away from
the grace promised by the latter, despite the fact that "attainment unto the
divine Presence" in the "Day of Resurrection" is explicitly stated in the
Book. It
hath been demonstrated and definitely established, through clear evidences,
that by "Resurrection" is meant the rise of the Manifestation of God to
proclaim His Cause, and by "attainment unto the divine Presence" is meant
attainment unto the presence of His Beauty in the person of His Manifestation.
For verily, "No vision taketh in Him, but He taketh in all vision." [Qur’an
6:103.] Notwithstanding all these indubitable facts and lucid statements, they
have foolishly clung to the term "seal," and remained utterly deprived of the
recognition of Him Who is the Revealer of both the Seal and the Beginning, in
the day of His presence. "If God should chastise men for their perverse
doings, He would not leave upon the earth a moving thing! But to an appointed
time doth He respite them." [Qur’an 16:61.] But apart from all these things,
had this people attained unto a drop of the crystal streams flowing from the
words: "God doeth whatsoever He willeth, and ordaineth whatsoever He
pleaseth," they would not have raised any unseemly cavils, such as these,
against the focal Center of His Revelation.
The Cause of God, all deeds and words, are held within the grasp of His power.
"All things lie imprisoned within the hollow of His mighty Hand; all things
are easy and possible unto Him." He accomplisheth whatsoever He willeth, and
doeth all that He desireth. "Whoso sayeth ‘why’ or ‘wherefore’ hath spoken
blasphemy!" Were these people to shake off the slumber of negligence and
realize that which their hands have wrought, they would surely perish, and
would of their own accord cast themselves into fire—their end and real abode.
Have they not heard that which He hath revealed: "He shall not be asked of His
doings?" [Qur’an 21:23.] In the light of these utterances, how can man be so
bold as to question Him, and busy himself with idle sayings?
Gracious God! So great is the folly and perversity of the people, that they
have turned their face toward their own thoughts and desires, and have turned
their back upon the knowledge and will of God—hallowed and glorified be His
name!
Be fair: Were these people to acknowledge the truth of these luminous words
and holy allusions, and recognize God as "Him that doeth whatsoever He
pleaseth," how could they continue to cleave unto these glaring absurdities?
Nay, with all their soul, they would accept and submit to whatsoever He saith.
I swear by God! But for the divine Decree, and the inscrutable dispensations
of Providence, the earth itself would have utterly destroyed all this people!
"He will, however, respite them until the appointed time of a known day."
Twelve hundred and eighty years have passed since the dawn of the Muhammadan
Dispensation, and with every break of day, these blind and ignoble people have
recited their Qur’an, and yet have failed to grasp one letter of that Book!
Again and again they read those verses which clearly testify to the reality of
these holy themes, and bear witness to the truth of the Manifestations of
eternal Glory, and still apprehend not their purpose. They have even failed to
realize, all this time, that, in every age, the reading of the scriptures and
holy books is for no other purpose except to enable the reader to apprehend
their meaning and unravel their innermost mysteries. Otherwise reading,
without understanding, is of no abiding profit unto man.
And it came to pass that on a certain day a needy man came to visit this Soul,
craving for the ocean of His knowledge. While conversing with him, mention was
made concerning the signs of the Day of Judgment, Resurrection, Revival, and
Reckoning. He urged Us to explain how, in this wondrous Dispensation, the
peoples of the world were brought to a reckoning, when none were made aware of
it. Thereupon, We imparted unto him, according to the measure of his capacity
and understanding, certain truths of Science and ancient Wisdom. We then asked
him saying: "Hast thou not read the Qur’an, and art thou not aware of this
blessed verse: ‘On that day shall neither man nor spirit be asked of his Sin?’
[Qur’an 55:39.] Dost thou not realize that by ‘asking’ is not meant asking by
tongue or speech, even as the verse itself doth indicate and prove? For
afterward it is said: ‘By their countenance shall the sinners be known, and
they shall be seized by their forelocks and their feet.’" [Qur’an 55:41.]
Thus the peoples of the world are judged by their countenance. By it, their
misbelief, their faith, and their iniquity are all made manifest.
Even as it is evident in this day how the people of error are, by their
countenance, known and distinguished from the followers of divine Guidance.
Were these people, wholly for the sake of God and with no desire but His good-
pleasure, to ponder the verses of the Book in their heart, they would of a
certainty find whatsoever they seek. In its verses would they find revealed
and manifest all the things, be they great or small, that have come to pass in
this Dispensation. They would even recognize in them references unto the
departure of the Manifestations of the names and attributes of God from out
their native land; to the opposition and disdainful arrogance of government
and people; and to the dwelling and establishment of the Universal
Manifestation in an appointed and specially designated land. No man, however,
can comprehend this except he who is possessed of an understanding heart.
We seal Our theme with that which was formerly revealed unto Muhammad that the
seal thereof may shed the fragrance of that holy musk which leadeth men unto
the Ridvan of unfading splendour. He said, and His Word is the truth:
"And God calleth to the Abode of Peace; [Baghdad.] and He guideth whom He will
into the right way." [Qur’an 10:25.]
"For them is an Abode of Peace with their Lord! and He shall be their
Protector because of their works." [Qur’an 6:127.] This He hath revealed that
His grace may encompass the world. Praise be to God, the Lord of all being!
We have variously and repeatedly set forth the meaning of every theme, that
perchance every soul, whether high or low, may obtain, according to his
measure and capacity, his share and portion thereof. Should he be unable to
comprehend a certain argument, he may, thus, by referring unto another, attain
his purpose. "That all sorts of men may know where to quench their thirst."
By God! This Bird of Heaven, now dwelling upon the dust, can, besides these
melodies, utter a myriad songs, and is able, apart from these utterances, to
unfold innumerable mysteries. Every single note of its unpronounced utterances
is immeasurably exalted above all that hath already been revealed, and
immensely glorified beyond that which hath streamed from this Pen. Let the
future disclose the hour when the Brides of inner meaning will, as decreed by
the Will of God, hasten forth, unveiled, out of their mystic mansions, and
manifest themselves in the ancient realm of being. Nothing whatsoever is
possible without His permission; no power can endure save through His power,
and there is none other God but He. His is the world of creation, and His the
Cause of God. All proclaim His Revelation, and all unfold the mysteries of His
Spirit.
We have already in the foregoing pages assigned two stations unto each of the
Luminaries arising from the Daysprings of eternal holiness. One of these
stations, the station of essential unity, We have already explained. "No
distinction do We make between any of them." [Qur’an 2:136.] The other is the
station of distinction, and pertaineth to the world of creation and to the
limitations thereof. In this respect, each Manifestation of God hath a
distinct individuality, a definitely prescribed mission, a predestined
Revelation, and specially designated limitations. Each one of them is known by
a different name, is characterized by a special attribute, fulfils a definite
Mission, and is entrusted with a particular Revelation. Even as He saith:
"Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others.
To some God hath spoken, some He hath raised and exalted. And to Jesus, Son of
Mary, We gave manifest signs, and We strengthened Him with the Holy Spirit."
[Qur’an 2:253.]
It is because of this difference in their station and mission that the words
and utterances flowing from these Well-springs of divine knowledge appear to
diverge and differ. Otherwise, in the eyes of them that are initiated into the
mysteries of divine wisdom, all their utterances are in reality but the
expressions of one Truth. As most of the people have failed to appreciate
those stations to which We have referred, they therefore feel perplexed and
dismayed at the varying utterances pronounced by Manifestations that are
essentially one and the same.
It hath ever been evident that all these divergences of utterance are
attributable to differences of station. Thus, viewed from the standpoint of
their oneness and sublime detachment, the attributes of Godhead, Divinity,
Supreme Singleness, and Inmost Essence, have been and are applicable to those
Essences of being, inasmuch as they all abide on the throne of divine
Revelation, and are established upon the seat of divine Concealment.
Through their appearance the Revelation of God is made manifest, and by their
countenance the Beauty of God is revealed. Thus it is that the accents of God
Himself have been heard uttered by these Manifestations of the divine Being.
Viewed in the light of their second station—the station of distinction,
differentiation, temporal limitations, characteristics and standards,--they
manifest absolute servitude, utter destitution and complete self-effacement.
Even as He saith:
"I am the servant of God. [Qur’an 19:31.] I am but a man like you." [Qur’an
18:110.]
From these incontrovertible and fully demonstrated statements strive thou to
apprehend the meaning of the questions thou hast asked, that thou mayest
become steadfast in the Faith of God, and not be dismayed by the divergences
in the utterances of His Prophets and Chosen Ones.
Were any of the all-embracing Manifestations of God to declare: "I am God!" He
verily speaketh the truth, and no doubt attacheth thereto.
For it hath been repeatedly demonstrated that through their Revelation, their
attributes and names, the Revelation of God, His name and His attributes, are
made manifest in the world. Thus, He hath revealed: "Those shafts were God’s,
not Thine!" [Qur’an 8:17.] And also He saith: "In truth, they who plighted
fealty unto thee, really plighted that fealty unto God." [Qur’an 48:10.] And
were any of them to voice the utterance: "I am the Messenger of God," He also
speaketh the truth, the indubitable truth. Even as He saith: "Muhammad is not
the father of any man among you, but He is the Messenger of God." [Qur’an
33:40.] Viewed in this light, they are all but Messengers of that ideal King,
that unchangeable Essence.
And were they all to proclaim: "I am the Seal of the Prophets," they verily
utter but the truth, beyond the faintest shadow of doubt. For they are all but
one person, one soul, one spirit, one being, one revelation. They are all the
manifestation of the "Beginning" and the "End," the "First" and the "Last,"
the "Seen" and "Hidden" all of which pertain to Him Who is the innermost
Spirit of Spirits and eternal Essence of Essences.
And were they to say: "We are the servants of God," this also is a manifest
and indisputable fact. For they have been made manifest in the uttermost state
of servitude, a servitude the like of which no man can possibly attain. Thus
in moments in which these Essences of being were deeply immersed beneath the
oceans of ancient and everlasting holiness, or when they soared to the
loftiest summits of divine mysteries, they claimed their utterance to be the
Voice of divinity, the Call of God Himself. Were the eye of discernment to be
opened, it would recognize that in this very state, they have considered
themselves utterly effaced and non-existent in the face of Him Who is the All-
Pervading, the Incorruptible. Methinks, they have regarded themselves as utter
nothingness, and deemed their mention in that Court an act of blasphemy. For
the slightest whispering of self, within such a Court, is an evidence of self-
assertion and independent existence. In the eyes of them that have attained
unto that Court, such a suggestion is itself a grievous transgression. How
much more grievous would it be, were aught else to be mentioned in that
Presence, were man’s heart, his tongue, his mind, or his soul, to be busied
with anyone but the Well-Beloved, were his eyes to behold any countenance
other than His beauty, were his ear to be inclined to any melody but His
voice, and were his feet to tread any way but His way.
In this day the breeze of God is wafted, and His Spirit hath pervaded all
things. Such is the outpouring of His grace that the pen is stilled and the
tongue is speechless.
By virtue of this station, they have claimed for themselves the Voice of
Divinity and the like, whilst by virtue of their station of Messengership,
they have declared themselves the Messengers of God. In every instance they
have voiced an utterance that would conform to the requirements of the
occasion, and have ascribed all these declarations to Themselves, declarations
ranging from the realm of divine Revelation to the realm of creation, and from
the domain of Divinity even unto the domain of earthly existence. Thus it is
that whatsoever be their utterance, whether it pertain to the realm of
Divinity, Lordship, Prophethood, Messengership, Guardianship, Apostleship or
Servitude, all is true, beyond the shadow of a doubt. Therefore, these sayings
which We have quoted in support of Our argument must be attentively
considered, that the divergent utterances of the Manifestations of the Unseen
and Daysprings of Holiness may cease to agitate the soul and perplex the mind.
Those words uttered by the Luminaries of Truth must needs be pondered, and
should their significance be not grasped, enlightenment should be sought from
the Trustees of the depositories of Knowledge, that these may expound their
meaning, and unravel their mystery. For it behooveth no man to interpret the
holy words according to his own imperfect understanding, nor, having found
them to be contrary to his inclination and desires, to reject and repudiate
their truth. For such, today, is the manner of the divines and doctors of the
age, who occupy the seats of knowledge and learning, and who have named
ignorance knowledge, and called oppression justice. Were these to ask the
Light of Truth concerning those images which their idle fancy hath carved, and
were they to find His answer inconsistent with their own conceptions and their
own understanding of the Book, they would assuredly denounce Him Who is the
Mine and Wellhead of all Knowledge as the very negation of understanding. Such
things have happened in every age.
For instance, when Muhammad, the Lord of being, was questioned concerning the
new moons, He, as bidden by God, made reply: "They are periods appointed unto
men."[Qur’an 2:189.] Thereupon, they that heard Him denounced Him as an
ignorant man.
Likewise, in the verse concerning the "Spirit," He saith: "And they will ask
Thee of the Spirit. Say, ‘the Spirit proceedeth at My Lord’s command.’"
[Qur’an 17:85.] As soon as Muhammad’s answer was given, they all clamorously
protested, saying: "Lo! an ignorant man who knoweth not what the Spirit is,
calleth Himself the Revealer of divine Knowledge!" And now behold the divines
of the age who, because of their being honoured by His name, and finding that
their fathers have acknowledged His Revelation, have blindly submitted to His
truth.
Observe, were this people today to receive such answers in reply to such
questionings, they would unhesitatingly reject and denounce them—nay, they
would again utter the self-same cavils, even as they have uttered them in this
day. All this, notwithstanding the fact that these Essences of being are
immensely exalted above such fanciful images, and are immeasurably glorified
beyond all these vain sayings and above the comprehension of every
understanding heart. Their so-called learning, when compared with that
Knowledge, is utter falsehood, and all their understanding naught but blatant
error. Nay, whatsoever proceedeth from these Mines of divine Wisdom and these
Treasuries of eternal knowledge is truth, and naught else but the truth. The
saying: "Knowledge is one point, which the foolish have multiplied" is a proof
of Our argument, and the tradition:
"Knowledge is a light which God sheddeth into the heart of whomsoever He
willeth" a confirmation of Our statement.
Inasmuch as they have not apprehended the meaning of Knowledge, and have
called by that name those images fashioned by their own fancy and which have
sprung from the embodiments of ignorance, they therefore have inflicted upon
the Source of Knowledge that which thou hast heard and witnessed.
For instance, a certain man, [Haji Mirza Karim Khan.] reputed for his learning
and attainments, and accounting himself as one of the pre-eminent leaders of
his people, hath in his book denounced and vilified all the exponents of true
learning. This is made abundantly clear by his explicit statements as well as
by his allusions throughout his book. As We had frequently heard about him, We
purposed to read some of his works. Although We never felt disposed to peruse
other peoples’ writings, yet as some had questioned Us concerning him, We felt
it necessary to refer to his books, in order that We might answer Our
questioners with knowledge and understanding. His works, in the Arabic tongue,
were, however, not available, until one day a certain man informed Us that one
of his compositions, entitled Irshadu’l-‘Avam, ["Guidance unto the ignorant."]
could be found in this city. From this title We perceived the odour of conceit
and vainglory, inasmuch as he hath imagined himself a learned man and regarded
the rest of the people ignorant. His worth was in fact made known by the very
title he had chosen for his book. It became evident that its author was
following the path of self and desire, and was lost in the wilderness of
ignorance and folly. Methinks, he had forgotten the well-known tradition which
sayeth: "Knowledge is all that is knowable; and might and power, all
creation."
Notwithstanding, We sent for the book, and kept it with Us a few days. It was
probably referred to twice. The second time, We accidentally came upon the
story of the "Mi’raj" [Ascent.] of Muhammad, of Whom was spoken: "But for
Thee, I would not have created the spheres." We noticed that he had enumerated
some twenty or more sciences, the knowledge of which he considered to be
essential for the comprehension of the mystery of the "Mi’raj". We gathered
from his statements that unless a man be deeply versed in them all, he can
never attain to a proper understanding of this transcendent and exalted theme.
Among the specified sciences were the science of metaphysical abstractions, of
alchemy, and natural magic. Such vain and discarded learnings, this man hath
regarded as the pre-requisites of the understanding of the sacred and abiding
mysteries of divine Knowledge.
Gracious God! Such is the measure of his understanding. And yet, behold what
cavils and calumnies he hath heaped upon those Embodiments of God’s infinite
knowledge! How well and true is the saying: "Flingest thou thy calumnies unto
the face of Them Whom the one true God hath made the Trustees of the treasures
of His seventh sphere?" Not one understanding heart or mind, not one among the
wise and learned, hath taken notice of these preposterous statements. And yet,
how clear and evident it is to every discerning heart that this so-called
learning is and hath ever been, rejected by Him Who is the one true God. How
can the knowledge of these sciences, which are so contemptible in the eyes of
the truly learned, be regarded as essential to the apprehension of the
mysteries of the "Mi’raj," whilst the Lord of the "Mi’raj" Himself was never
burdened with a single letter of these limited and obscure learnings, and
never defiled His radiant heart with any of these fanciful illusions? How
truly hath he said:
"All human attainment moveth upon a lame ass, whilst Truth, riding upon the
wind, darteth across space." By the righteousness of God! Whoso desireth to
fathom the mystery of this "Mi’raj," and craveth a drop from this ocean, if
the mirror of his heart be already obscured by the dust of these learnings, he
must needs cleanse and purify it ere the light of this mystery can be
reflected therein.
In this day, they that are submerged beneath the ocean of ancient Knowledge,
and dwell within the ark of divine wisdom, forbid the people such idle
pursuits. Their shining breasts are, praise be to God, sanctified from every
trace of such learning, and are exalted above such grievous veils. We have
consumed this densest of all veils, with the fire of the love of the
Beloved—the veil referred to in the saying: "The most grievous of all veils is
the veil of knowledge." Upon its ashes, We have reared the tabernacle of
divine knowledge. We have, praise be to God, burned the "veils of glory" with
the fire of the beauty of the Best-Beloved. We have driven from the human
heart all else but Him Who is the Desire of the world, and glory therein. We
cleave to no knowledge but His Knowledge, and set our hearts on naught save
the effulgent glories of His light.
We were surprised exceedingly when We observed that his one purpose was to
make the people realize that all these learnings were possessed by him. And
yet, I swear by God that not one breath, blowing from the meads of divine
knowledge, hath ever been wafted upon his soul, nor hath he ever unravelled a
single mystery of ancient wisdom. Nay, were the meaning of Knowledge ever to
be expounded unto him, dismay would fill his heart, and his whole being would
shake to its foundation. Notwithstanding his base and senseless statements,
behold to what heights of extravagance his claims have reached!
Gracious God! How great is Our amazement at the way the people have gathered
around him, and have borne allegiance to his person! Content with transient
dust, these people have turned their face unto it, and cast behind their backs
Him Who is the Lord of Lords. Satisfied with the croaking of the crow and
enamoured with the visage of the raven, they have renounced the melody of the
nightingale and the charm of the rose. What unspeakable fallacies the perusal
of this pretentious book hath revealed! They are too unworthy for any pen to
describe, and too base for one moment’s attention. Should a touchstone be
found, however, it would instantly distinguish truth from falsehood, light
from darkness, and sun from shadow.
Among the sciences which this pretender hath professed is that of alchemy. We
cherish the hope that either a king or a man of preeminent power may call upon
him to translate this science from the realm of fancy to the domain of fact
and from the plane of mere pretension to that of actual achievement. Would
that this unlearned and humble Servant, who never laid any pretension to such
things, nor even regarded them as the criterion of true knowledge, might
undertake the same task, that thereby the truth might be known and
distinguished from falsehood. But of what avail! All this generation could
offer Us were wounds from its darts, and the only cup it proffered to Our lips
was the cup of its venom. On our neck We still bear the scar of chains, and
upon Our body are imprinted the evidences of an unyielding cruelty.
And as to this man’s attainments, his ignorance, understanding and belief,
behold what the Book which embraceth all things hath revealed; "Verily, the
tree of Zaqqum [Infernal tree.] shall be the food of the Athim." [Sinner or
sinful. Qur’an 44:43-44.] And then follow certain verses, until He saith:
"Taste this, for thou forsooth art the mighty Karim!" [Honourable--Qur’an
44:49.] Consider how clearly and explicitly he hath been described in God’s
incorruptible Book! This man, moreover, feigning humility, hath in his own
book referred to himself as the "athim servant":
"Athim" in the Book of God, mighty among the common herd, "Karim" in name!
Ponder the blessed verse, so that the meaning of the words: "There is neither
a thing green nor sere but it is noted in the unerring Book," [Qur’an 6:59.]
may be imprinted upon the tablet of thy heart. Notwithstanding, a multitude
bear him allegiance. They have rejected the Moses of knowledge and justice,
and clung to the Samiri [A magician contemporary with Moses.] of ignorance.
They have turned away their eyes from the Day-star of truth which shineth in
the divine and everlasting heaven, and have utterly ignored its splendour.
O my brother! A divine Mine only can yield the gems of divine knowledge, and
the fragrance of the mystic Flower can be inhaled only in the ideal Garden,
and the lilies of ancient wisdom can blossom nowhere except in the city of a
stainless heart. "In a rich soil, its plants spring forth abundantly by
permission of its Lord, and in that soil which is bad, they spring forth but
scantily." [Qur’an 7:57.] Inasmuch as it hath been clearly shown that only
those who are initiated into the divine mysteries can comprehend the melodies
uttered by the Bird of Heaven, it is therefore incumbent upon every one to
seek enlightenment from the illumined in heart and from the Treasuries of
divine mysteries regarding the intricacies of God’s Faith and the abstruse
allusions in the utterances of the Day-springs of Holiness. Thus will these
mysteries be unravelled, not by the aid of acquired learning, but solely
through the assistance of God and the outpourings of His grace. "Ask ye,
therefore, of them that have the custody of the Scriptures, if ye know it
not." [ Qur’an 16:43.]
But, O my brother, when a true seeker determineth to take the step of search
in the path leading to the knowledge of the Ancient of Days, he must, before
all else, cleanse and purify his heart, which is the seat of the revelation of
the inner mysteries of God, from the obscuring dust of all acquired knowledge,
and the allusions of the embodiments of satanic fancy. He must purge his
breast, which is the sanctuary of the abiding love of the Beloved, of every
defilement, and sanctify his soul from all that pertaineth to water and clay,
from all shadowy and ephemeral attachments. He must so cleanse his heart that
no remnant of either love or hate may linger therein, lest that love blindly
incline him to error, or that hate repel him away from the truth. Even as thou
dost witness in this day how most of the people, because of such love and
hate, are bereft of the immortal Face, have strayed far from the Embodiments
of the divine mysteries, and, shepherdless, are roaming through the wilderness
of oblivion and error. That seeker must at all times put his trust in God,
must renounce the peoples of the earth, detach himself from the world of dust,
and cleave unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords. He must never seek to exalt
himself above any one, must wash away from the tablet of his heart every trace
of pride and vainglory, must cling unto patience and resignation, observe
silence, and refrain from idle talk. For the tongue is a smouldering fire, and
excess of speech a deadly poison. Material fire consumeth the body, whereas
the fire of the tongue devoureth both heart and soul. The force of the former
lasteth but for a time, whilst the effects of the latter endure a century.
That seeker should also regard backbiting as grievous error, and keep himself
aloof from its dominion, inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light of the
heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul. He should be content with
little, and be freed from all inordinate desire. He should treasure the
companionship of those that have renounced the world, and regard avoidance of
boastful and worldly people a precious benefit. At the dawn of every day he
should commune with God, and with all his soul persevere in the quest of his
Beloved. He should consume every wayward thought with the flame of His loving
mention, and, with the swiftness of lightning, pass by all else save Him. He
should succour the dispossessed, and never withhold his favour from the
destitute. He should show kindness to animals, how much more unto his fellow-
man, to him who is endowed with the power of utterance. He should not hesitate
to offer up his life for his Beloved, nor allow the censure of the people to
turn him away from the Truth. He should not wish for others that which he doth
not wish for himself, nor promise that which he doth not fulfil. With all his
heart should the seeker avoid fellowship with evil doers, and pray for the
remission of their sins. He should forgive the sinful, and never despise his
low estate, for none knoweth what his own end shall be. How often hath a
sinner, at the hour of death, attained to the essence of faith, and, quaffing
the immortal draught, hath taken his flight unto the celestial Concourse. And
how often hath a devout believer, at the hour of his soul’s ascension, been so
changed as to fall into the nethermost fire. Our purpose in revealing these
convincing and weighty utterances is to impress upon the seeker that he should
regard all else beside God as transient, and count all things save Him, Who is
the Object of all adoration, as utter nothingness.
These are among the attributes of the exalted, and constitute the hall-mark of
the spiritually-minded. They have already been mentioned in connection with
the requirements of the wayfarers that tread the Path of Positive Knowledge.
When the detached wayfarer and sincere seeker hath fulfilled these essential
conditions, then and only then can he be called a true seeker. Whensoever he
hath fulfilled the conditions implied in the verse:
"Whoso maketh efforts for Us," [Qur’an 29:69.] he shall enjoy the blessing
conferred by the words: "In Our ways shall We assuredly guide him." [Ibid.]
Only when the lamp of search, of earnest striving, of longing desire, of
passionate devotion, of fervid love, of rapture, and ecstasy, is kindled
within the seeker’s heart, and the breeze of His loving-kindness is wafted
upon his soul, will the darkness of error be dispelled, the mists of doubts
and misgivings be dissipated, and the lights of knowledge and certitude
envelop his being. At that hour will the mystic Herald, bearing the joyful
tidings of the Spirit, shine forth from the City of God resplendent as the
morn, and, through the trumpet-blast of knowledge, will awaken the heart, the
soul, and the spirit from the slumber of negligence. Then will the manifold
favours and outpouring grace of the holy and everlasting Spirit confer such
new life upon the seeker that he will find himself endowed with a new eye, a
new ear, a new heart, and a new mind. He will contemplate the manifest signs
of the universe, and will penetrate the hidden mysteries of the soul. Gazing
with the eye of God, he will perceive within every atom a door that leadeth
him to the stations of absolute certitude. He will discover in all things the
mysteries of divine Revelation and the evidences of an everlasting
manifestation.
I swear by God! Were he that treadeth the path of guidance and seeketh to
scale the heights of righteousness to attain unto this glorious and supreme
station, he would inhale at a distance of a thousand leagues the fragrance of
God, and would perceive the resplendent morn of a divine Guidance rising above
the dayspring of all things. Each and every thing, however small, would be to
him a revelation, leading him to his Beloved, the Object of his quest. So
great shall be the discernment of this seeker that he will discriminate
between truth and falsehood even as he doth distinguish the sun from shadow.
If in the uttermost corners of the East the sweet savours of God be wafted, he
will assuredly recognize and inhale their fragrance, even though he be
dwelling in the uttermost ends of the West. He will likewise clearly
distinguish all the signs of God—His wondrous utterances, His great works, and
mighty deeds—from the doings, words and ways of men, even as the jeweller who
knoweth the gem from the stone, or the man who distinguisheth the spring from
autumn and heat from cold. When the channel of the human soul is cleansed of
all worldly and impeding attachments, it will unfailingly perceive the breath
of the Beloved across immeasurable distances, and will, led by its perfume,
attain and enter the City of Certitude. Therein he will discern the wonders of
His ancient wisdom, and will perceive all the hidden teachings from the
rustling leaves of the Tree—which flourisheth in that City. With both his
inner and his outer ear he will hear from its dust the hymns of glory and
praise ascending unto the Lord of Lords, and with his inner eye will he
discover the mysteries of "return" and "revival." How unspeakably glorious are
the signs, the tokens, the revelations, and splendours which He Who is the
King of names and attributes hath destined for that City! The attainment of
this City quencheth thirst without water, and kindleth the love of God without
fire. Within every blade of grass are enshrined the mysteries of an
inscrutable wisdom, and upon every rose-bush a myriad nightingales pour out,
in blissful rapture, their melody. Its wondrous tulips unfold the mystery of
the undying Fire in the Burning Bush, and its sweet savours of holiness
breathe the perfume of the Messianic Spirit. It bestoweth wealth without gold,
and conferreth immortality without death. In every leaf ineffable delights are
treasured, and within every chamber unnumbered mysteries lie hidden.
They that valiantly labour in quest of God’s will, when once they have
renounced all else but Him, will be so attached and wedded to that City that a
moment’s separation from it would to them be unthinkable. They will hearken
unto infallible proofs from the Hyacinth of that assembly, and receive the
surest testimonies from the beauty of its Rose and the melody of its
Nightingale. Once in about a thousand years shall this City be renewed and re-
adorned.
Wherefore, O my friend, it behooveth Us to exert the highest endeavour to
attain unto that City, and, by the grace of God and His loving-kindness, rend
asunder the "veils of glory"; so that, with inflexible steadfastness, we may
sacrifice our drooping souls in the path of the New Beloved. We should with
tearful eyes, fervently and repeatedly, implore Him to grant us the favour of
that grace. That city is none other than the Word of God revealed in every age
and dispensation. In the days of Moses it was the Pentateuch; in the days of
Jesus the Gospel; in the days of Muhammad the Messenger of God the Qur’an; in
this day the Bayan; and in the dispensation of Him Whom God will make manifest
His own Book—the Book unto which all the Books of former Dispensations must
needs be referred, the Book which standeth amongst them all transcendent and
supreme. In these cities spiritual sustenance is bountifully provided, and
incorruptible delights have been ordained. The food they bestow is the bread
of heaven, and the Spirit they impart is God’s imperishable blessing. Upon
detached souls they bestow the gift of Unity, enrich the destitute, and offer
the cup of knowledge unto them who wander in the wilderness of ignorance. All
the guidance, the blessings, the learning, the understanding, the faith, and
certitude, conferred upon all that is in heaven and on earth, are hidden and
treasured within these Cities.
For instance, the Qur’an was an impregnable stronghold unto the people of
Muhammad. In His days, whosoever entered therein, was shielded from the
devilish assaults, the menacing darts, the soul-devouring doubts, and
blasphemous whisperings of the enemy. Upon him was also bestowed a portion of
the everlasting and goodly fruits—the fruits of wisdom, from the divine Tree.
To him was given to drink the incorruptible waters of the river of knowledge,
and to taste the wine of the mysteries of divine Unity.
All the things that people required in connection with the Revelation of
Muhammad and His laws were to be found revealed and manifest in that Ridvan of
resplendent glory. That Book constitutes an abiding testimony to its people
after Muhammad, inasmuch as its decrees are indisputable, and its promise
unfailing. All have been enjoined to follow the precepts of that Book until
"the year sixty" [The year 1260 A.H., the year of the Bab’s Declaration.]
--the year of the advent of God’s wondrous Manifestation. That Book is the
Book which unfailingly leadeth the seeker unto the Ridvan of the divine
Presence, and causeth him that hath forsaken his country and is treading the
seeker’s path to enter the Tabernacle of everlasting reunion. Its guidance can
never err, its testimony no other testimony can excel. All other traditions,
all other books and records, are bereft of such distinction, inasmuch as both
the traditions and they that have spoken them are confirmed and proven solely
by the text of that Book. Moreover, the traditions themselves grievously
differ, and their obscurities are manifold.
Muhammad, Himself, as the end of His mission drew nigh, spoke these words:
"Verily, I leave amongst you My twin weighty testimonies: The Book of God and
My Family." Although many traditions had been revealed by that Source of
Prophethood and Mine of divine Guidance, yet He mentioned only that Book,
thereby appointing it as the mightiest instrument and surest testimony for the
seekers; a guide for the people until the Day of Resurrection.
With unswerving vision, with pure heart, and sanctified spirit, consider
attentively what God hath established as the testimony of guidance for His
people in His Book, which is recognized as authentic by both the high and
lowly. To this testimony we both, as well as all the peoples of the world,
must cling, that through its light we may know and distinguish between truth
and falsehood, guidance and error. Inasmuch as Muhammad hath confined His
testimonies to His Book and to His Family, and whereas the latter hath passed
away, there remaineth His Book only as His one testimony amongst the people.
In the beginning of His Book He saith: "Alif. Lam. Mim. No doubt is there
about this Book: It is a guidance unto the God-fearing." [Qur’an 2:1.] In the
disconnected letters of the Qur’an the mysteries of the divine Essence are
enshrined, and within their shells the pearls of His Unity are treasured. For
lack of space We do not dwell upon them at this moment. Outwardly they signify
Muhammad Himself, Whom God addresseth saying: "O Muhammad, there is no doubt
nor uncertainty about this Book which hath been sent down from the heaven of
divine Unity. In it is guidance unto them that fear God." Consider, how He
hath appointed and decreed this self-same Book, the Qur’an, as a guidance unto
all that are in heaven and on earth. He, the divine Being, and unknowable
Essence, hath, Himself, testified that this Book is, beyond all doubt and
uncertainty, the guide of all mankind until the Day of Resurrection.
And now, We ask, is it fair for this people to view with doubt and misgiving
this most weighty Testimony, the divine origin of which God hath proclaimed,
and pronounced it to be the embodiment of truth? Is it fair for them to turn
away from the thing which He hath appointed as the supreme Instrument of
guidance for attainment unto the loftiest summits of knowledge, and to seek
aught else but that Book? How can they allow men’s absurd and foolish sayings
to sow the seeds of distrust in their minds? How can they any longer idly
contend that a certain person hath spoken this or that way, or that a certain
thing did not come to pass? Had there been anything conceivable besides the
Book of God which could prove a more potent instrument and a surer guide to
mankind, would He have failed to reveal it in that verse?
It is incumbent upon us not to depart from God’s irresistible injunction and
fixed decree, as revealed in the above-mentioned verse. We should acknowledge
the holy and wondrous Scriptures, for failing to do this we have failed to
acknowledge the truth of this blessed verse. For it is evident that whoso hath
failed to acknowledge the truth of the Qur’an hath in reality failed to
acknowledge the truth of the preceding Scriptures.
This is but the manifest implication of the verse. Were We to expound its
inner meanings and unfold its hidden mysteries, eternity would never suffice
to exhaust their import, nor would the universe be capable of hearing them!
God verily testifieth to the truth of Our saying!
In another passage He likewise saith: "And if ye be in doubt as to that which
We have sent down to Our Servant, then produce a Surah like it, and summon
your witnesses, beside God, if ye are men of truth." [Qur’an 2:23.] Behold,
how lofty is the station, and how consummate the virtue, of these verses which
He hath declared to be His surest testimony, His infallible proof, the
evidence of His all-subduing power, and a revelation of the potency of His
will. He, the divine King, hath proclaimed the undisputed supremacy of the
verses of His Book over all things that testify to His truth. For compared
with all other proofs and tokens, the divinely-revealed verses shine as the
sun, whilst all others are as stars. To the peoples of the world they are the
abiding testimony, the incontrovertible proof, the shining light of the ideal
King. Their excellence is unrivalled, their virtue nothing can surpass. They
are the treasury of the divine pearls and the depository of the divine
mysteries. They constitute the indissoluble Bond, the firm Cord, the
Urvatu’l-Vuthqa, the inextinguishable Light. Through them floweth the river of
divine knowledge, and gloweth the fire of His ancient and consummate wisdom.
This is the fire which, in one and the same moment, kindleth the flame of love
in the breasts of the faithful, and induceth the chill of heedlessness in the
heart of the enemy.
O friend! It behooveth us not to waive the injunction of God, but rather
acquiesce and submit to that which He hath ordained as His divine Testimony.
This verse is too weighty and pregnant an utterance for this afflicted soul to
demonstrate and expound. God speaketh the truth and leadeth the way. He,
verily, is supreme over all His people; He is the Mighty, the Beneficent.
Likewise, He saith: "Such are the verses of God: with truth do We recite them
to Thee. But in what revelation will they believe, if they reject God and His
verses?" [Qur’an 45:5.] If thou wilt grasp the implication of this verse, thou
wilt recognize the truth that no manifestation greater than the Prophets of
God hath ever been revealed, and no testimony mightier than the testimony of
their revealed verses hath ever appeared upon the earth. Nay, this testimony
no other testimony can ever excel, except that which the Lord thy God willeth.
In another passage He saith: "Woe to every lying sinner, who heareth the
verses of God recited to him, and then, as though he heard them not,
persisteth in proud disdain! Apprise him of a painful punishment." [Qur’an
45:6.] The implications of this verse, alone, suffice all that is in heaven
and on earth, were the people to ponder the verses of their Lord. For thou
hearest how in this day the people disdainfully ignore the divinely-revealed
verses, as though they were the meanest of all things. And yet, nothing
greater than these verses hath ever appeared, nor will ever be made manifest
in the world! Say unto them: "O heedless people! Ye repeat what your fathers,
in a bygone age, have said. Whatever fruits they have gathered from the tree
of their faithlessness, the same shall ye gather also. Ere long shall ye be
gathered unto your fathers, and with them shall ye dwell in hellish fire. An
ill abode! the abode of the people of tyranny."
In yet another passage He saith: "And when he becometh acquainted with any of
Our verses he turneth them to ridicule. There is a shameful punishment for
them!" [Qur’an 45:8.] The people derisively observed saying: "Work thou
another miracle, and give us another sign!" One would say: "Make now a part of
the heaven to fall down upon us"; [Qur’an 26:187.] and another: "If this be
the very truth from before Thee, rain down stones upon us from heaven."
[Qur’an 8:32.] Even as the people of Israel, in the time of Moses, bartered
away the bread of heaven for the sordid things of the earth, these people,
likewise, sought to exchange the divinely-revealed verses for their foul,
their vile, and idle desires. In like manner, thou beholdest in this day that
although spiritual sustenance hath descended from the heaven of divine mercy,
and been showered from the clouds of His loving kindness, and although the
seas of life, at the behest of the Lord of all being, are surging within the
Ridvan of the heart, yet these people, ravenous as the dogs, have gathered
around carrion, and contented themselves with the stagnant waters of a briny
lake. Gracious God! how strange the way of this people! They clamour for
guidance, although the standards of Him Who guideth all things are already
hoisted. They cleave to the obscure intricacies of knowledge, when He, Who is
the Object of all knowledge, shineth as the sun. They see the sun with their
own eyes, and yet question that brilliant Orb as to the proof of its light.
They behold the vernal showers descending upon them, and yet seek an evidence
of that bounty. The proof of the sun is the light thereof, which shineth and
envelopeth all things. The evidence of the shower is the bounty thereof, which
reneweth and investeth the world with the mantle of life. Yea, the blind can
perceive naught from the sun except its heat, and the arid soil hath no share
of the showers of mercy. "Marvel not if in the Qur’an the unbeliever
perceiveth naught but the trace of letters, for in the sun, the blind findeth
naught but heat."
In another passage He saith: "And when Our clear verses are recited to them,
their only argument is to say, ‘Bring back our fathers, if ye speak the
truth!’" [Qur’an 45:24.] Behold, what foolish evidences they sought from these
Embodiments of an all-encompassing mercy! They scoffed at the verses, a single
letter of which is greater than the creation of heavens and earth, and which
quickeneth the dead of the valley of self and desire with the spirit of faith;
and clamoured saying: "Cause our fathers to speed out of their sepulchres."
Such was the perversity and pride of that people. Each one of these verses is
unto all the peoples of the world an unfailing testimony and a glorious proof
of His truth. Each of them verily sufficeth all mankind, wert thou to meditate
upon the verses of God. In the above-mentioned verse itself pearls of
mysteries lie hidden. Whatever be the ailment, the remedy it offereth can
never fail.
Heed not the idle contention of those who maintain that the Book and verses
thereof can never be a testimony unto the common people, inasmuch as they
neither grasp their meaning nor appreciate their value. And yet, the unfailing
testimony of God to both the East and the West is none other than the Qur’an.
Were it beyond the comprehension of men, how could it have been declared as a
universal testimony unto all people? If their contention be true, none would
therefore be required, nor would it be necessary for them to know God,
inasmuch as the knowledge of the divine Being transcendeth the knowledge of
His Book, and the common people would not possess the capacity to comprehend
it.
Such contention is utterly fallacious and inadmissible. It is actuated solely
by arrogance and pride. Its motive is to lead the people astray from the
Ridvan of divine good-pleasure and to tighten the reins of their authority
over the people. And yet, in the sight of God, these common people are
infinitely superior and exalted above their religious leaders who have turned
away from the one true God. The understanding of His words and the
comprehension of the utterances of the Birds of Heaven are in no wise
dependent upon human learning. They depend solely upon purity of heart,
chastity of soul, and freedom of spirit. This is evidenced by those who,
today, though without a single letter of the accepted standards of learning,
are occupying the loftiest seats of knowledge; and the garden of their hearts
is adorned, through the showers of divine grace, with the roses of wisdom and
the tulips of understanding. Well is it with the sincere in heart for their
share of the light of a mighty Day!
And likewise, He saith: "As for those who believe not in the verses of God, or
that they shall ever meet Him, these of My mercy shall despair, and these doth
a grievous chastisement await." [Qur’an 29:23.] Also, "And they say, ‘Shall we
then abandon our gods for a crazed poet?’" [Qur’an 37:36.] The implication of
this verse is manifest. Behold what they observed after the verses were
revealed. They called Him a poet, scoffed at the verses of God, and exclaimed
saying: "These words of his are but tales of the Ancients!" By this they meant
that those words which were spoken by the peoples of old Muhammad hath
compiled and called them the Word of God.
Likewise, in this day, thou hast heard the people impute similar charges to
this Revelation, saying: "He hath compiled these words from the words of old;"
or "these words are spurious." Vain and haughty are their sayings, low their
estate and station!
After the denials and denunciations which they uttered, and unto which We have
referred, they protested saying: "No independent Prophet, according to our
Scriptures, should arise after Moses and Jesus to abolish the Law of divine
Revelation. Nay, he that is to be made manifest must needs fulfil the Law."
Thereupon this verse, indicative of all the divine themes, and testifying to
the truth that the flow of the grace of the All-Merciful can never cease, was
revealed: "And Joseph came to you aforetime with clear tokens, but ye ceased
not to doubt of the message with which He came to you, until, when He died, ye
said, ‘God will by no means raise up a Messenger after Him.’
Thus God misleadeth him who is the transgressor the doubter." [Qur’an 40:34.]
Therefore, understand from this verse and know of a certainty that the people
in every age, clinging to a verse of the Book, have uttered such vain and
absurd sayings, contending that no Prophet should again be made manifest to
the world. Even as the Christian divines who, holding fast to the verse of the
Gospel to which We have already referred, have sought to explain that the law
of the Gospel shall at no time be annulled, and that no independent Prophet
shall again be made manifest, unless He confirmeth the law of the Gospel. Most
of the people have become afflicted with the same spiritual disease.
Even as thou dost witness how the people of the Qur’an, like unto the people
of old, have allowed the words "Seal of the Prophets" to veil their eyes.
And yet, they themselves testify to this verse: "None knoweth the
interpretation thereof but God and they that are well-grounded in knowledge."
[Qur’an 3:7.] And when He Who is well-grounded in all knowledge, He Who is the
Mother, the Soul, the Secret, and the Essence thereof, revealeth that which is
the least contrary to their desire, they bitterly oppose Him and shamelessly
deny Him. These thou hast already heard and witnessed. Such deeds and words
have been solely instigated by leaders of religion, they that worship no God
but their own desire, who bear allegiance to naught but gold, who are wrapt in
the densest veils of learning, and who, enmeshed by its obscurities, are lost
in the wilds of error. Even as the Lord of being hath explicitly declared:
"What thinkest thou? He who hath made a God of his passions, and whom God
causeth to err through a knowledge, and whose ears and whose heart He hath
sealed up, and over whose sight He hath cast a veil—who, after his rejection
by God, shall guide such a one? Will ye not then be warned?" [Qur’an 45:22.]
Although the outward meaning of "Whom God causeth to err through a knowledge"
is what hath been revealed, yet to Us it signifieth those divines of the age
who have turned away from the Beauty of God, and who, clinging unto their own
learning, as fashioned by their own fancies and desires, have denounced God’s
divine Message and Revelation.
"Say: it is a weighty Message, from which ye turn aside!" [Qur’an 38:67.]
Likewise, He saith: "And when Our clear verses are recited to them, they say,
‘This is merely a man who would fain pervert you from your father’s worship.’
And they say, ‘This is none other than a forged falsehood.’" [Qur’an 34:43.]
Give ear unto God’s holy Voice, and heed thou His sweet and immortal melody.
Behold how He hath solemnly warned them that have repudiated the verses of
God, and hath disowned them that have denied His holy words. Consider how far
the people have strayed from the Kawthar of the divine Presence, and how
grievous hath been the faithlessness and arrogance of the spiritually
destitute in the face of that sanctified Beauty. Although that Essence of
lovingkindness and bounty caused those evanescent beings to step into the
realm of immortality, and guided those destitute souls to the sacred river of
wealth, yet some denounced Him as "a calumniator of God, the Lord of all
creatures," others accused Him of being "the one that withholdeth the people
from the path of faith and true belief," and still others declared Him to be
"a lunatic" and the like.
In like manner, thou observest in this day with what vile imputations they
have assailed that Gem of Immortality, and what unspeakable transgressions
they have heaped upon Him Who is the Source of purity. Although God hath
throughout His Book and in His holy and immortal Tablet warned them that deny
and repudiate the revealed verses, and hath announced His grace unto them that
accept them, yet behold the unnumbered cavils they raised against those verses
which have been sent down from the new heaven of God’s eternal holiness! This,
notwithstanding the fact that no eye hath beheld so great an outpouring of
bounty, nor hath any ear heard of such a revelation of lovingkindness. Such
bounty and revelation have been made manifest, that the revealed verses seemed
as vernal showers raining from the clouds of the mercy of the All-Bountiful.
The Prophets "endowed with constancy," whose loftiness and glory shine as the
sun, were each honoured with a Book which all have seen, and the verses of
which have been duly ascertained. Whereas the verses which have rained from
this Cloud of divine mercy have been so abundant that none hath yet been able
to estimate their number. A score of volumes are now available. How many still
remain beyond our reach! How many have been plundered and have fallen into the
hands of the enemy, the fate of which none knoweth.
O brother, we should open our eyes, meditate upon His Word, and seek the
sheltering shadow of the Manifestations of God, that perchance we may be
warned by the unmistakable counsels of the Book, and give heed to the
admonitions recorded in the holy Tablets; that we may not cavil at the
Revealer of the verses, that we may resign ourselves wholly to His Cause, and
embrace wholeheartedly His law, that haply we may enter the court of His
mercy, and dwell upon the shore of His grace. He, verily, is merciful, and
forgiving towards His servants.
And likewise, He saith: "Say, O people of the Book! do ye not disavow us only
because we believe in God and in what He hath sent down to us, and in what He
hath sent down aforetime, and because most of you are doers of ill?" [Qur’an
5:62.] How explicitly doth this verse reveal Our purpose, and how clearly doth
it demonstrate the truth of the testimony of the verses of God! This verse was
revealed at a time when Islam was assailed by the infidels, and its followers
were accused of misbelief, when the Companions of Muhammad were denounced as
repudiators of God and as followers of a lying sorcerer. In its early days,
when Islam was still to outward seeming devoid of authority and power, the
friends of the Prophet, who had turned their face toward God, wherever they
went, were harassed, persecuted, stoned and vilified. At such a time this
blessed verse was sent down from the heaven of divine Revelation. It revealed
an irrefutable evidence, and brought the light of an unfailing guidance. It
instructed the companions of Muhammad to declare the following unto the
infidels and idolators: "Ye oppress and persecute us, and yet, what else have
we done except that we have believed in God and in the verses sent down unto
us through the tongue of Muhammad, and in those which descended upon the
Prophets of old?" By this is meant that their only guilt was to have
recognized that the new and wondrous verses of God, which had descended upon
Muhammad, as well as those which had been revealed unto the Prophets of old,
were all of God, and to have acknowledged and embraced their truth. This is
the testimony which the divine King hath taught His servants.
In view of this, is it fair for this people to repudiate these newly-revealed
verses which have encompassed both the East and the West, and to regard
themselves as the upholders of true belief? Should they not rather believe in
Him Who hath revealed these verses? Considering the testimony which He Himself
hath established, how could He fail to account as true believers them that
have testified to its truth? Far be it from Him that He should turn away from
the gates of His mercy them that have turned unto and embraced the truth of
the divine verses, or that He should threaten those that have clung to His
sure testimony! He verily establisheth the truth through His verses, and
confirmeth His Revelation by His words. He verily is the Powerful, the Help in
peril, the Almighty.
And likewise, He saith: "And had We sent down unto Thee a Book written on
parchment, and they had touched it with their hands, the infidels would surely
have said ‘This is naught but palpable sorcery.’" [Qur’an 6:7.] Most of the
verses of the Qur’an are indicative of this theme. We have, for the sake of
brevity, mentioned only these verses. Consider, hath anything else besides the
verses been established in the whole Book, as a standard for the recognition
of the Manifestations of His Beauty, that the people might cling to, and
reject the Manifestations of God? On the contrary, in every instance, He hath
threatened with fire those that repudiate and scoff at the verses, as already
shown.
Therefore, should a person arise and bring forth a myriad verses, discourses,
epistles, and prayers, none of which have been acquired through learning, what
conceivable excuse could justify those that reject them, and deprive
themselves of the potency of their grace? What answer could they give when
once their soul hath ascended and departed from its gloomy temple? Could they
seek to justify themselves by saying: "We have clung to a certain tradition,
and not having beheld the literal fulfilment thereof, we have therefore raised
such cavils against the Embodiments of divine Revelation, and kept remote from
the law of God?" Hast thou not heard that among the reasons why certain
Prophets have been designated as Prophets "endowed with constancy" was the
revelation of a Book unto them? And yet, how could this people be justified in
rejecting the Revealer and Author of so many volumes of verses, and follow the
sayings of him who hath foolishly sown the seeds of doubt in the hearts of
men, and who, Satan-like, hath risen to lead the people into the paths of
perdition and error? How could they allow such things to deprive them of the
light of the Sun of divine bounty? Aside from these things, if these people
shun and reject such a divine Soul, such holy Breath, to whom, We wonder,
could they cling, to whose face besides His Face could they turn? Yea—"All
have a quarter of the Heavens to which they turn." [Qur’an 2:148.] We have
shown thee these two ways; walk thou the way thou choosest. This verily is the
truth, and after truth there remaineth naught but error.
Amongst the proofs demonstrating the truth of this Revelation is this, that in
every age and Dispensation, whenever the invisible Essence was revealed in the
person of His Manifestation, certain souls, obscure and detached from all
worldly entanglements, would seek illumination from the Sun of Prophethood and
Moon of divine guidance, and would attain unto the divine Presence. For this
reason, the divines of the age and those possessed of wealth, would scorn and
scoff at these people. Even as He hath revealed concerning them that erred:
"Then said the chiefs of His people who believed not, ‘We see in Thee but a
man like ourselves; and we see not any who have followed Thee except our
meanest ones of hasty judgment, nor see we any excellence in you above
ourselves: nay, we deem you liars.’" [Qur’an 11:27.] They caviled at those
holy Manifestations, and protested saying: "None hath followed you except the
abject amongst us, those who are worthy of no attention." Their aim was to
show that no one amongst the learned, the wealthy, and the renowned believed
in them. By this and similar proofs they sought to demonstrate the falsity of
Him that speaketh naught but the truth.
In this most resplendent Dispensation, however, this most mighty Sovereignty,
a number of illumined divines, of men of consummate learning, of doctors of
mature wisdom, have attained unto His Court, drunk the cup of His divine
Presence, and been invested with the honour of His most excellent favour. They
have renounced, for the sake of the Beloved, the world and all that is
therein. We will mention the names of some of them, that perchance it may
strengthen the faint-hearted, and encourage the timorous.
Among them was Mulla Husayn, who became the recipient of the effulgent glory
of the Sun of divine Revelation. But for him, God would not have been
established upon the seat of His mercy, nor ascended the throne of eternal
glory. Among them also was Siyyid Yahya, that unique and peerless figure of
his age,
Mulla Muhammad Aliy-i-Zanjani
Mulla Aliy-i-Bastami
Mulla Sa’id-i-Barfurushi
Mulla Ni’matu’llah-i-Mazindarani
Mulla Yusuf-i-Ardibili
Mulla Mihdiy-i-Khu’i
Siyyid Husayn-i-Turshizi
Mulla Mihdiy-i-Kandi
Mulla Baqir
Mulla Abdu’l-Khaliq-i-Yazdi
Mulla Aliy-i-Baraqani
and others, well nigh four hundred in number, whose names are all inscribed
upon the "Guarded Tablet" of God.
All these were guided by the light of that Sun of divine Revelation, confessed
and acknowledged His truth. Such was their faith, that most of them renounced
their substance and kindred, and cleaved to the good-pleasure of the All-
Glorious. They laid down their lives for their Well-Beloved, and surrendered
their all in His path. Their breasts were made targets for the darts of the
enemy, and their heads adorned the spears of the infidel. No land remained
which did not drink the blood of these embodiments of detachment, and no sword
that did not bruise their necks. Their deeds, alone, testify to the truth of
their words. Doth not the testimony of these holy souls, who have so
gloriously risen to offer up their lives for their Beloved that the whole
world marvelled at the manner of their sacrifice, suffice the people of this
day? Is it not sufficient witness against the faithlessness of those who for a
trifle betrayed their faith, who bartered away immortality for that which
perisheth, who gave up the Kawthar of the divine Presence for salty springs,
and whose one aim in life is to usurp the property of others? Even as thou
dost witness how all of them have busied themselves with the vanities of the
world, and have strayed far from Him Who is the Lord, the Most High.
Be fair: Is the testimony of those acceptable and worthy of attention whose
deeds agree with their words, whose outward behaviour conforms with their
inner life? The mind is bewildered at their deeds, and the soul marvelleth at
their fortitude and bodily endurance. Or is the testimony of these faithless
souls who breathe naught but the breath of selfish desire, and who lie
imprisoned in the cage of their idle fancies, acceptable? Like the bats of
darkness, they lift not their heads from their couch except to pursue the
transient things of the world, and find no rest by night except as they labour
to advance the aims of their sordid life. Immersed in their selfish schemes,
they are oblivious of the divine Decree. In the day-time they strive with all
their soul after worldly benefits, and in the night-season their sole
occupation is to gratify their carnal desires. By what law or standard could
men be justified in cleaving to the denials of such petty-minded souls, and in
ignoring the faith of them that have renounced, for the sake of the good-
pleasure of God, their life, and substance, their fame and renown, their
reputation and honour?
Were not the happenings of the life of the "Prince of Martyrs" [Imam Husayn.]
regarded as the greatest of all events, as the supreme evidence of his truth?
Did not the people of old declare those happenings to be unprecedented? Did
they not maintain that no manifestation of truth hath ever evinced such
constancy, such conspicuous glory? And yet, that episode of his life,
commencing as it did in the morning, was brought to a close by the middle of
the same day, whereas, these holy lights have, for eighteen years, heroically
endured the showers of afflictions which, from every side, have rained upon
them. With what love, what devotion, what exultation and holy rapture, they
sacrificed their lives in the path of the All-Glorious! To the truth of this
all witness. And yet, how can they belittle this Revelation? Hath any age
witnessed such momentous happenings? If these companions be not the true
strivers after God, who else could be called by this name? Have these
companions been seekers after power or glory? Have they ever yearned for
riches? Have they cherished any desire except the good-pleasure of God? If
these companions, with all their marvellous testimonies and wondrous works, be
false, who then is worthy to claim for himself the truth? I swear by God!
Their very deeds are a sufficient testimony, and an irrefutable proof unto all
the peoples of the earth, were men to ponder in their hearts the mysteries of
divine Revelation. "And they who act unjustly shall soon know what lot
awaiteth them!" [Qur’an 26:227.]
Furthermore, the sign of truth and falsehood is designated and appointed in
the Book. By this divinely-appointed touchstone, the claims and pretensions of
all men must needs be assayed, so that the truthful may be known and
distinguished from the imposter. This touchstone is no other than this verse:
"Wish for death, if ye are men of truth." [Qur’an 2:94, 62:6.] Consider these
martyrs of unquestionable sincerity, to whose truthfulness testifieth the
explicit text of the Book, and all of whom, as thou hast witnessed, have
sacrificed their life, their substance, their wives, their children, their
all, and ascended unto the loftiest chambers of Paradise. Is it fair to reject
the testimony of these detached and exalted beings to the truth of this pre-
eminent and glorious Revelation and to regard as acceptable the denunciations
which have been uttered against this resplendent Light by this faithless
people, who for gold have forsaken their faith, and who for the sake of
leadership have repudiated Him Who is the First Leader of all mankind? This,
although their character is now revealed unto all people who have recognized
them as those who will in no wise relinquish one jot or one tittle of their
temporal authority for the sake of God’s holy Faith, how much less their life,
their substance, and the like.
Behold how the divine Touchstone hath, according to the explicit text of the
Book, separated and distinguished the true from the false. Notwithstanding,
they are still oblivious of this truth, and in the sleep of heedlessness, are
pursuing the vanities of the world, and are occupied with thoughts of vain and
earthly leadership.
"O Son of Man! Many a day hath passed over thee whilst thou hast busied
thyself with thy fancies and idle imaginings. How long art thou to slumber on
thy bed? Lift up thine head from slumber, for the Sun hath risen to the
zenith; haply it may shine upon thee with the light of beauty."
Let it be known, however, that none of these doctors and divines to whom we
have referred was invested with the rank and dignity of leadership.
For well-known and influential leaders of religion, who occupy the seats of
authority and exercise the functions of leadership, can in no wise bear
allegiance to the Revealer of truth, except whomsoever thy Lord willeth. But
for a few, such things have never come to pass. "And few of My servants are
the thankful." [Qur’an 34:13.] Even as in this Dispensation, not one amongst
the renowned divines, in the grasp of whose authority were held the reins of
the people, hath embraced the Faith. Nay, they have striven against it with
such animosity and determination that no ear hath heard and no eye hath seen
the like.
The Bab, the Lord, the most exalted—may the life of all be a sacrifice unto
Him,--hath specifically revealed an Epistle unto the divines of every city,
wherein He hath fully set forth the character of the denial and repudiation of
each of them.
"Wherefore, take ye good heed ye who are men of insight!" [Qur’an 59:2.] By
His references to their opposition He intended to invalidate the objections
which the people of the Bayan might raise in the day of the manifestation of
"Mustaghath," [He Who is invoked.] the day of the Latter Resurrection,
claiming that, whereas in the Dispensation of the Bayan a number of divines
have embraced the Faith, in this latter Revelation none of these hath
recognized His claim. His purpose was to warn the people lest, God forbid,
they cling to such foolish thoughts and deprive themselves of the divine
Beauty. Yea, these divines to whom We have referred, were mostly unrenowned,
and, by the grace of God they were all purged of earthly vanities and free
from the trappings of leadership. "Such is the bounty of God; to whom He will
He giveth it."
Another proof and evidence of the truth of this Revelation, which amongst all
other proofs shineth as the sun, is the constancy of the eternal Beauty in
proclaiming the Faith of God. Though young and tender of age, and though the
Cause He revealed was contrary to the desire of all the peoples of earth, both
high and low, rich and poor, exalted and abased, king and subject, yet He
arose and steadfastly proclaimed it. All have known and heard this. He was
afraid of no one; He was regardless of consequences. Could such a thing be
made manifest except through the power of a divine Revelation, and the potency
of God’s invincible Will? By the righteousness of God! Were any one to
entertain so great a Revelation in his heart, the thought of such a
declaration would alone confound him! Were the hearts of all men to be crowded
into his heart, he would still hesitate to venture upon so awful an
enterprise. He could achieve it only by the permission of God, only if the
channel of his heart were to be linked with the Source of divine grace, and
his soul be assured of the unfailing sustenance of the Almighty. To what, We
wonder, do they ascribe so great a daring? Do they accuse Him of folly as they
accused the Prophets of old? Or do they maintain that His motive was none
other than leadership and the acquisition of earthly riches?
Gracious God! In His Book, which He hath entitled "Qayyumu’l-Asma’,"—the
first, the greatest and mightiest of all books—He prophesied His own
martyrdom. In it is this passage: "O thou Remnant of God! I have sacrificed
myself wholly for Thee; I have accepted curses for Thy sake; and have yearned
for naught but martyrdom in the path of Thy love. Sufficient Witness unto me
is God, the Exalted, the Protector, the Ancient of Days!"
Likewise, in His interpretation of the letter "Ha," He craved martyrdom,
saying: "Methinks I heard a Voice calling in my inmost being: ‘Do thou
sacrifice the thing which Thou lovest most in the path of God, even as Husayn,
peace be upon him, hath offered up his life for My sake.’ And were I not
regardful of this inevitable mystery, by Him, Who hath my being between His
hands even if all the kings of the earth were to be leagued together they
would be powerless to take from me a single letter, how much less can these
servants who are worthy of no attention, and who verily are of the outcast...
That all may know the degree of My patience, My resignation, and self-
sacrifice in the path of God."
Could the Revealer of such utterance be regarded as walking any way but the
way of God, and as having yearned for aught else except His good-pleasure? In
this very verse there lieth concealed a breath of detachment, which if it were
to be breathed full upon the world, all beings would renounce their lives, and
sacrifice their souls. Reflect upon the villainous behaviour of this
generation, and witness their astounding ingratitude.
Observe how they have closed their eyes to all this glory, and are abjectly
pursuing those foul carcasses from whose bellies ascendeth the cry of the
swallowed substance of the faithful. And yet, what unseemly calumnies they
have hurled against those Daysprings of Holiness? Thus do We recount unto thee
that which the hands of the infidels have wrought, they who, in the Day of
Resurrection, have turned their face away from the divine Presence, whom God
hath tormented with the fire of their own misbelief, and for whom He hath
prepared in the world to come a chastisement which shall devour both their
bodies and souls. For these have said: "God is powerless, and His hand of
mercy is fettered."
Steadfastness in the Faith is a sure testimony, and a glorious evidence of the
truth. Even as the "Seal of the Prophets" hath said: "Two verses have made Me
old." Both these verses are indicative of constancy in the Cause of God. Even
as He saith: "Be thou steadfast as thou hast been bidden." [Qur’an 11:113.]
And now consider how this Sadrih of the Ridvan of God hath, in the prime of
youth, risen to proclaim the Cause of God. Behold what steadfastness that
Beauty of God hath revealed. The whole world rose to hinder Him, yet it
utterly failed. The more severe the persecution they inflicted on that Sadrih
of Blessedness, the more His fervour increased, and the brighter burned the
flame of His love. All this is evident, and none disputeth its truth. Finally,
He surrendered His soul, and winged His flight unto the realms above.
And among the evidences of the truth of His manifestation were the ascendancy,
the transcendent power, and supremacy which He, the Revealer of being and
Manifestation of the Adored, hath, unaided and alone, revealed throughout the
world. No sooner had that eternal Beauty revealed Himself in Shiraz, in the
year sixty, and rent asunder the veil of concealment, than the signs of the
ascendancy, the might, the sovereignty, and power, emanating from that Essence
of Essences and Sea of Seas, were manifest in every land. So much so, that
from every city there appeared the signs, the evidences, the tokens, the
testimonies of that divine Luminary. How many were those pure and kindly
hearts which faithfully reflected the light of that eternal Sun, and how
manifold the emanations of knowledge from that Ocean of divine wisdom which
encompassed all beings! In every city, all the divines and dignitaries rose to
hinder and repress them, and girded up the loins of malice, of envy, and
tyranny for their suppression. How great the number of those holy souls, those
essences of justice, who, accused of tyranny, were put to death! And how many
embodiments of purity, who showed forth naught but true knowledge and
stainless deeds, suffered an agonizing death! Notwithstanding all this, each
of these holy beings, up to his last moment, breathed the Name of God, and
soared in the realm of submission and resignation. Such was the potency and
transmuting influence which He exercised over them, that they ceased to
cherish any desire but His will, and wedded their soul to His remembrance.
Reflect: Who in this world is able to manifest such transcendent power, such
pervading influence? All these stainless hearts and sanctified souls have,
with absolute resignation, responded to the summons of His decree. Instead of
complaining, they rendered thanks unto God, and amidst the darkness of their
anguish they revealed naught but radiant acquiescence to His will. It is
evident how relentless was the hate, and how bitter the malice and enmity
entertained by all the peoples of the earth towards these companions. The
persecution and pain they inflicted on these holy and spiritual beings were
regarded by them as means unto salvation, prosperity, and everlasting success.
Hath the world, since the days of Adam, witnessed such tumult, such violent
commotion? Notwithstanding all the torture they suffered, and manifold the
afflictions they endured, they became the object of universal opprobrium and
execration. Methinks patience was revealed only by virtue of their fortitude,
and faithfulness itself was begotten only by their deeds.
Do thou ponder these momentous happenings in thy heart, so that thou mayest
apprehend the greatness of this Revelation, and perceive its stupendous glory.
Then shall the spirit of faith, through the grace of the Merciful, be breathed
into thy being, and thou shalt be established and abide upon the seat of
certitude. The one God is My witness! Wert thou to ponder a while, thou wilt
recognize that, apart from all these established truths and above-mentioned
evidences, the repudiation, cursing, and execration, pronounced by the people
of the earth, are in themselves the mightiest proof and the surest testimony
of the truth of these heroes of the field of resignation and detachment.
Whenever thou dost meditate upon the cavils uttered by all the people, be they
divines, learned or ignorant, the firmer and the more steadfast wilt thou grow
in the Faith. For whatsoever hath come to pass, hath been prophesied by them
who are the Mines of divine knowledge, and Recipients of God’s eternal law.
Although We did not intend to make mention of the traditions of a bygone age,
yet, because of Our love for thee, We will cite a few which are applicable to
Our argument. We do not feel their necessity, however, inasmuch as the things
We have already mentioned suffice the world and all that is therein. In fact,
all the Scriptures and the mysteries thereof are condensed into this brief
account. So much so, that were a person to ponder it a while in his heart, he
would discover from all that hath been said the mysteries of the Words of God,
and would apprehend the meaning of whatever hath been manifested by that ideal
King. As the people differ in their understanding and station, We will
accordingly make mention of a few traditions, that these may impart constancy
to the wavering soul, and tranquillity to the troubled mind.
Thereby, will the testimony of God unto the people, both high and low, be
complete and perfect.
Among them is the tradition, "And when the Standard of Truth is made manifest,
the people of both the East and the West curse it." The wine of renunciation
must needs be quaffed, the lofty heights of detachment must needs be attained,
and the meditation referred to in the words "One hour’s reflection is
preferable to seventy years of pious worship" must needs be observed, so that
the secret of the wretched behaviour of the people might be discovered, those
people who, despite the love and yearning for truth which they profess, curse
the followers of Truth when once He hath been made manifest. To this truth the
above-mentioned tradition beareth witness. It is evident that the reason for
such behaviour is none other than the annulment of those rules, customs,
habits, and ceremonials to which they have been subjected.
Otherwise, were the Beauty of the Merciful to comply with those same rules and
customs, which are current amongst the people, and were He to sanction their
observances, such conflict and mischief would in no wise be made manifest in
the world. This exalted tradition is attested and substantiated by these words
which He hath revealed: "The day when the Summoner shall summon to a stern
business." [Qur’an 54:6.]
The divine call of the celestial Herald from beyond the Veil of Glory,
summoning mankind to renounce utterly all the things to which they cleave, is
repugnant to their desire; and this is the cause of the bitter trials and
violent commotions which have occurred. Consider the way of the people. They
ignore these well-founded traditions, all of which have been fulfilled, and
cling unto those of doubtful validity, and ask why these have not been
fulfilled. And yet, those things which to them were inconceivable have been
made manifest.
The signs and tokens of the Truth shine even as the midday sun, and yet the
people are wandering, aimlessly and perplexedly, in the wilderness of
ignorance and folly. Notwithstanding all the verses of the Qur’an, and the
recognized traditions, which are all indicative of a new Faith, a new Law, and
a new Revelation, this generation still waiteth in expectation of beholding
the promised One who should uphold the Law of the Muhammadan Dispensation. The
Jews and the Christians in like manner uphold the same contention.
Among the utterances that foreshadow a new Law and a new Revelation are the
passages in the "Prayer of Nudbih": "Where is He Who is preserved to renew the
ordinances and laws? Where is He Who hath the authority to transform the Faith
and the followers thereof?" He hath, likewise, revealed in the Ziyarat:
[Visiting Tablet revealed by Ali.] "Peace be upon the Truth made new."
Abu-‘Abdi’llah, questioned concerning the character of the Mihdi, answered
saying:
"He will perform that which Muhammad, the Messenger of God, hath performed,
and will demolish whatever hath been before Him even as the Messenger of God
hath demolished the ways of those that preceded Him."
Behold, how, notwithstanding these and similar traditions, they idly contend
that the laws formerly revealed, must in no wise be altered. And yet, is not
the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole
character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself both
outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external
conditions? For if the character of mankind be not changed, the futility of
God’s universal Manifestations would be apparent. In the "Avalim," an
authoritative and well-known book, it is recorded: "A Youth from Bani-Hashim
shall be made manifest, Who will reveal a new Book and promulgate a new law;"
then follow these words: "Most of His enemies will be the divines." In another
passage, it is related of Sadiq, son of Muhammad, that he spoke the following:
"There shall appear a Youth from Bani-Hashim, Who will bid the people plight
fealty unto Him. His Book will be a new Book, unto which He shall summon the
people to pledge their faith.
Stern is His Revelation unto the Arab. If ye hear about Him, hasten unto Him."
How well have they followed the directions of the Imams of the Faith and Lamps
of certitude! Although it is clearly stated: "Were ye to hear that a Youth
from Bani-Hashim hath appeared, summoning the people unto a new and Divine
Book, and to new and Divine laws, hasten unto Him," yet have they all declared
that Lord of being an infidel, and pronounced Him a heretic. They hastened not
unto that Hashimite Light, that divine Manifestation, except with drawn
swords, and hearts filled with malice. Moreover, observe how explicitly the
enmity of the divines hath been mentioned in the books. Notwithstanding all
these evident and significant traditions, all these unmistakable and
undisputed allusions, the people have rejected the immaculate Essence of
knowledge and of holy utterance, and have turned unto the exponents of
rebellion and error. Despite these recorded traditions and revealed
utterances, they speak only that which is prompted by their own selfish
desires. And should the Essence of Truth reveal that which is contrary to
their inclinations and desires, they will straightway denounce Him as an
infidel, and will protest saying: "This is contrary to the sayings of the
Imams of the Faith and of the resplendent lights. No such thing hath been
provided by our inviolable Law." Even so in this day such worthless statements
have been and are being made by these poor mortals.
And now, consider this other tradition, and observe how all these things have
been foretold. In "Arba’in" it is recorded: "Out of Bani-Hashim there shall
come forth a Youth Who shall reveal new laws. He shall summon the people unto
Him, but none will heed His call. Most of His enemies will be the divines. His
bidding they will not obey, but will protest saying: ‘This is contrary to that
which hath been handed down unto us by the Imams of the Faith.’" In this day,
all are repeating these very same words, utterly unaware that He is
established upon the throne of "He doeth whatsoever He willeth," and abideth
upon the seat of "He ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth."
No understanding can grasp the nature of His Revelation, nor can any knowledge
comprehend the full measure of His Faith. All sayings are dependent upon His
sanction, and all things stand in need of His Cause. All else save Him are
created by His command, and move and have their being through His law. He is
the Revealer of the divine mysteries, and the Expounder of the hidden and
ancient wisdom. Thus it is related in the "Biharu’l-Anvar," the "Avalim," and
the "Yanbu’" of Sadiq, son of Muhammad, that he spoke these words: "Knowledge
is twenty and seven letters.
All that the Prophets have revealed are two letters thereof. No man thus far
hath known more than these two letters. But when the Qa’im shall arise, He
will cause the remaining twenty and five letters to be made manifest."
Consider; He hath declared Knowledge to consist of twenty and seven letters,
and regarded all the Prophets, from Adam even unto the "Seal," as Expounders
of only two letters thereof and of having been sent down with these two
letters. He also saith that the Qa’im will reveal all the remaining twenty and
five letters. Behold from this utterance how great and lofty is His station!
His rank excelleth that of all the Prophets, and His Revelation transcendeth
the comprehension and understanding of all their chosen ones. A Revelation, of
which the Prophets of God, His saints and chosen ones, have either not been
informed, or which, in pursuance of God’s inscrutable Decree, they have not
disclosed,--such a Revelation these mean and depraved people have sought to
measure with their own deficient minds, their own deficient learning and
understanding.
Should it fail to conform to their standards, they straightway reject it.
"Thinkest thou that the greater part of them hear or understand? They are even
like unto the brutes! yea, they stray even further from the path!" [Qur’an
25:44.]
How, We wonder, do they explain the aforementioned tradition, a tradition
which, in unmistakable terms, foreshadoweth the revelation of things
inscrutable, and the occurrence of new and wondrous events in His day? Such
marvellous happenings kindle so great a strife amongst the people, that all
the divines and doctors sentence Him and His companions to death, and all the
peoples of the earth arise to oppose Him. Even as it hath been recorded in the
"Kafi," in the tradition of Jabir, in the "Tablet of Fatimih," concerning the
character of the Qa’im: "He shall manifest the perfection of Moses, the
splendour of Jesus, and the patience of Job. His chosen ones shall be abased
in His day. Their heads shall be offered as presents even as the heads of the
Turks and the Daylamites. They shall be slain and burnt. Fear shall seize
them; dismay and alarm shall strike terror into their hearts. The earth shall
be dyed with their blood. Their womenfolk shall bewail and lament. These
indeed are my friends!" Consider, not a single letter of this tradition hath
remained unfulfilled. In most of the places their blessed blood hath been
shed; in every city they have been made captives, have been paraded throughout
the provinces, and some have been burnt with fire. And yet no one hath paused
to reflect that if the promised Qa’im should reveal the law and ordinances of
a former Dispensation, why then should such traditions have been recorded, and
why should there arise such a degree of strife and conflict that the people
should regard the slaying of these companions as an obligation imposed upon
them, and deem the persecution of these holy souls as a means of attaining
unto the highest favour?
Moreover, observe how these things that have come to pass, and the acts which
have been perpetrated, have all been mentioned in former traditions.
Even as it hath been recorded in the "Rawdiy-i-Kafi," concerning "Zawra’." In
the "Rawdiy-i-Kafi" it is related of Mu’aviyih, son of Vahhab, that
Abu-‘Abdi’llah hath spoken:
"Knowest thou Zawra’?" I said: "May my life be a sacrifice unto thee! They say
it is Baghdad." "Nay," he answered. And then added: "Hast thou entered the
city of Rayy?", [Ancient city near which Tihran is built.] to which I made
reply:
"Yea, I have entered it." Whereupon, He enquired:
"Didst thou visit the cattle-market?"
"Yea," I answered. He said: "Hast thou seen the black mountain on the right
hand side of the road?
The same is Zawra’. There shall eighty men, of the children of certain ones,
be slain, all of whom are worthy to be called caliphs." "Who will slay them?"
I asked. He made reply: "The children of Persia!"
Such is the condition and fate of His companions which in former days hath
been foretold.
And now observe how, according to this tradition, Zawra’ is no other but the
land of Rayy. In that place His companions have been with great suffering put
to death, and all these holy beings have suffered martyrdom at the hand of the
Persians, as recorded in the tradition. This thou hast heard, and unto it all
testify. Wherefore, then, do not these grovelling, worm-like men pause to
meditate upon these traditions, all of which are manifest as the sun in its
noon-tide glory? For what reason do they refuse to embrace the Truth, and
allow certain traditions, the significance of which they have failed to grasp,
to withhold them from the recognition of the Revelation of God and His Beauty,
and to cause them to dwell in the infernal abyss? Such things are to be
attributed to naught but the faithlessness of the divines and doctors of the
age. Of these, Sadiq, son of Muhammad, hath said: "The religious doctors of
that age shall be the most wicked of the divines beneath the shadow of heaven.
Out of them hath mischief proceeded, and unto them it shall return."
We entreat the learned men of the Bayan not to follow in such ways, not to
inflict, at the time of Mustaghath, upon Him Who is the divine Essence, the
heavenly Light, the absolute Eternity, the Beginning and the End of the
Manifestations of the Invisible, that which hath been inflicted in this day.
We beg them not to depend upon their intellect, their comprehension and
learning, nor to contend with the Revealer of celestial and infinite
knowledge. And yet, notwithstanding all these admonitions, We perceive that a
one-eyed man, who himself is the chief of the people, is arising with the
utmost malevolence against Us. We foresee that in every city people will arise
to suppress the Blessed Beauty, that the companions of that Lord of being and
ultimate Desire of all men will flee from the face of the oppressor and seek
refuge from him in the wilderness, whilst others will resign themselves and,
with absolute detachment, will sacrifice their lives in His path. Methinks We
can discern one who is reputed for such devoutness and piety that men deem it
an obligation to obey him, and to whose command they consider it necessary to
submit, who will arise to assail the very root of the divine Tree, and
endeavour to the uttermost of his power to resist and oppose Him. Such is the
way of the people!
We fain would hope that the people of the Bayan will be enlightened, will soar
in the realm of the spirit and abide therein, will discern the Truth, and
recognize with the eye of insight dissembling falsehood. In these days,
however, such odours of jealousy are diffused, that—I swear by the Educator of
all beings, visible and invisible—from the beginning of the foundation of the
world though it hath no beginning—until the present day, such malice, envy,
and hate have in no wise appeared, nor will they ever be witnessed in the
future. For a number of people who have never inhaled the fragrance of
justice, have raised the standard of sedition, and have leagued themselves
against Us. On every side We witness the menace of their spears, and in all
directions We recognize the shafts of their arrows. This, although We have
never gloried in any thing, nor did We seek preference over any soul. To
everyone We have been a most kindly companion, a most forbearing and
affectionate friend. In the company of the poor We have sought their
fellowship, and amidst the exalted and learned We have been submissive and
resigned. I swear by God, the one true God! grievous as have been the woes and
sufferings which the hand of the enemy and the people of the Book inflicted
upon Us, yet all these fade into utter nothingness when compared with that
which hath befallen Us at the hand of those who profess to be Our friends.
What more shall We say? The universe, were it to gaze with the eye of justice,
would be incapable of bearing the weight of this utterance! In the early days
of Our arrival in this land, when We discerned the signs of impending events,
We decided, ere they happened, to retire. We betook Ourselves to the
wilderness, and there, separated and alone, led for two years a life of
complete solitude. From Our eyes there rained tears of anguish, and in Our
bleeding heart there surged an ocean of agonizing pain. Many a night We had no
food for sustenance, and many a day Our body found no rest. By Him Who hath My
being between His hands! notwithstanding these showers of afflictions and
unceasing calamities, Our soul was wrapt in blissful joy, and Our whole being
evinced an ineffable gladness. For in Our solitude We were unaware of the harm
or benefit, the health or ailment, of any soul. Alone, We communed with Our
spirit, oblivious of the world and all that is therein. We knew not, however,
that the mesh of divine destiny exceedeth the vastest of mortal conceptions,
and the dart of His decree transcendeth the boldest of human designs. None can
escape the snares He setteth, and no soul can find release except through
submission to His will. By the righteousness of God! Our withdrawal
contemplated no return, and Our separation hoped for no reunion. The one
object of Our retirement was to avoid becoming a subject of discord among the
faithful, a source of disturbance unto Our companions, the means of injury to
any soul, or the cause of sorrow to any heart. Beyond these, We cherished no
other intention, and apart from them, We had no end in view. And yet, each
person schemed after his own desire, and pursued his own idle fancy, until the
hour when, from the Mystic Source, there came the summons bidding Us return
whence We came. Surrendering Our will to His, We submitted to His injunction.
What pen can recount the things We beheld upon Our return! Two years have
elapsed during which Our enemies have ceaselessly and assiduously contrived to
exterminate Us, whereunto all witness. Nevertheless, none amongst the faithful
hath risen to render Us any assistance, nor did any one feel inclined to help
in Our deliverance. Nay, instead of assisting Us, what showers of continuous
sorrows, their words and deeds have caused to rain upon Our soul! Amidst them
all, We stand, life in hand, wholly resigned to His will; that perchance,
through God’s loving kindness and His grace, this revealed and manifest Letter
may lay down His life as a sacrifice in the path of the Primal Point, the most
exalted Word. By Him at Whose bidding the Spirit hath spoken, but for this
yearning of Our soul, We would not, for one moment, have tarried any longer in
this city. "Sufficient Witness is God unto Us." We conclude Our argument with
the words: "There is no power nor strength but in God alone." "We are God’s,
and to Him shall we return."
They that have hearts to understand, they that have quaffed the Wine of love,
who have not for one moment gratified their selfish desires, will behold,
resplendent as the sun in its noon-tide glory, those tokens, testimonies, and
evidences that attest the truth of this wondrous Revelation, this transcendent
and divine Faith. Reflect, how the people have rejected the Beauty of God, and
have clung unto their covetous desires. Notwithstanding all these consummate
verses, these unmistakable allusions, which have been revealed in the "Most
weighty Revelation," the Trust of God amongst men, and despite these evident
traditions, each more manifest than the most explicit utterance, the people
have ignored and repudiated their truth, and have held fast to the letter of
certain traditions which, according to their understanding, they have found
inconsistent with their expectations, and the meaning of which they have
failed to grasp. They have thus shattered every hope, and deprived themselves
of the pure wine of the All-Glorious, and the clear and incorruptible waters
of the immortal Beauty.
Consider, that even the year in which that Quintessence of Light is to be made
manifest hath been specifically recorded in the traditions, yet they still
remain unmindful, nor do they for one moment cease to pursue their selfish
desires. According to the tradition, Mufaddal asked Sadiq saying: "What of the
sign of His manifestation, O my master?" He made reply: "In the year sixty,
His Cause shall be made manifest, and His Name shall be proclaimed."
How strange! Notwithstanding these explicit and manifest references these
people have shunned the Truth. For instance, mention of the sorrows, the
imprisonment and afflictions inflicted upon that Essence of divine virtue hath
been made in the former traditions. In the "Bihar" it is recorded:
"In our Qa’im there shall be four signs from four Prophets, Moses, Jesus,
Joseph, and Muhammad. The sign from Moses, is fear and expectation; from
Jesus, that which was spoken of Him; from Joseph, imprisonment and
dissimulation; from Muhammad, the revelation of a Book similar to the Qur’an."
Notwithstanding such a conclusive tradition, which in such unmistakable
language hath foreshadowed the happenings of the present day, none hath been
found to heed its prophecy, and methinks none will do so in the future, except
him whom thy Lord willeth. "God indeed shall make whom He will to hearken, but
We shall not make those who are in their graves to hearken."
It is evident unto thee that the Birds of Heaven and Doves of Eternity speak a
twofold language.
One language, the outward language, is devoid of allusions, is unconcealed and
unveiled; that it may be a guiding lamp and a beaconing light whereby
wayfarers may attain the heights of holiness, and seekers may advance into the
realm of eternal reunion. Such are the unveiled traditions and the evident
verses already mentioned. The other language is veiled and concealed, so that
whatever lieth hidden in the heart of the malevolent may be made manifest and
their innermost being be disclosed. Thus hath Sadiq, son of Muhammad, spoken:
"God verily will test them and sift them." This is the divine standard, this
is the Touchstone of God, wherewith He proveth His servants. None apprehendeth
the meaning of these utterances except them whose hearts are assured, whose
souls have found favour with God, and whose minds are detached from all else
but Him. In such utterances, the literal meaning, as generally understood by
the people, is not what hath been intended. Thus it is recorded: "Every
knowledge hath seventy meanings, of which one only is known amongst the
people. And when the Qa’im shall arise, He shall reveal unto men all that
which remaineth." He also saith: "We speak one word, and by it we intend one
and seventy meanings; each one of these meanings we can explain."
These things We mention only that the people may not be dismayed because of
certain traditions and utterances, which have not yet been literally
fulfilled, that they may rather attribute their perplexity to their own lack
of understanding, and not to the non-fulfilment of the promises in the
traditions, inasmuch as the meaning intended by the Imams of the Faith is not
known by this people, as evidenced by the traditions themselves. The people,
therefore, must not allow such utterances to deprive them of the divine
bounties, but should rather seek enlightenment from them who are the
recognized Expounders thereof, so that the hidden mysteries may be unravelled,
and be made manifest unto them.
We perceive none, however, amongst the people of the earth who, sincerely
yearning for the Truth, seeketh the guidance of the divine Manifestations
concerning the abstruse matters of his Faith. All are dwellers in the land of
oblivion, and all are followers of the people of wickedness and rebellion.
God will verily do unto them that which they themselves are doing, and will
forget them even as they have ignored His Presence in His day. Such is His
decree unto those that have denied Him, and such will it be unto them that
have rejected His signs.
We conclude Our argument with His words—exalted is He—"And whoso shall
withdraw from the remembrance of the Merciful, We will chain a Satan unto him,
and he shall be his fast companion." [Qur’an 43:36.] "And whoso turneth away
from My remembrance, truly his shall be a life of misery." [Qur’an 20:124.]
Thus hath it been revealed aforetime, were ye to comprehend.
Revealed by the "Ba’" and the "Ha’." [B and H meaning Baha.]
Peace be upon him that inclineth his ear unto the melody of the Mystic Bird
calling from the Sadratu’l-Muntaha!
Glorified be our Lord, the Most High!

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1Ben N = "In the Baha'i faith, the prophets and founders of every major religion - Krishna, Buddha, Moses, Jesus, Muhammed, and the Baha'u'llah himself - are called "the Manifestations of God." They are sent to uplift and guide humanity, to bring spiritual renewal, and to progressively unfold God's revelation."

2Ben N = "While I cannot find any verification of Mohammed literally saying "I am Jesus," he is recorded in numerous hadith as saying in effect: that all the prophets are brothers, that their religion is one, and that he is the closest to Jesus and the most like him."

3Ben N = "The great prophets and messengers of God are all manifestations of His Spirit, His Love and Wisdom. They are timeless, eternal, and indeed they are One; the differences in form and doctrine a result of the time and place and culture in which they appear."